The Other Brothers
by Shostakovich
Summary: The Brotherhood's 'pawns': Dart, a young Morlock. Ian Rey, who keeps journals and sees in the dark. Ian's sister Evaline, who flies and takes sides. And Cat, a tightlipped wahine with an attitude who can't stop running into and pouncing on Pyro.
1. Fireboy

Let's put it this way: if I owned Marvel, I wouldn't have to write any disclaimers! And I'd also be rich and be able to live in a houseboat in Paris.

So Marvel © Marvel.

Everything else © myself.

Thanks to butterflyKisses26 for the inspiration.

I know calling people 'Cat' and 'Dart' isn't really original, but I can't really gasp at the originality of 'Storm' and 'Beast', can I?

Read and enjoy (and feel free to review)! 

* * *

12 Jun 07

_14:32_

I'm pretty sure I will become charred meat while I'm on watch tonight. Fireboy (Pyro, really, but Fireboy to me) was waltzing through our section of camp, trying to act all important, even though he really isn't.

I mean, he can't be more important than me— he can't even watch at night. Only a few of us can see in the dark, much less navigate quietly through it. There's me, there's that catty girl. There's others I don't know. But there's one black guy, Griffin Fox, who can see in infrared, by heat levels and I all. I don't know how he avoids trees and rocks.

So Fireboy was waltzing through our little circle of tents and flicking his annoying lighter as usual. I couldn't help but trip him, grab a stick and cut off his ankles with it. Fireboy fell, almost burned his face. Well, he would've if he didn't snuff it out. I'd probably be an overdone steak now, if it wasn't for Evaline. Sis may be a shrimp as far as being tall goes but she sure is tough. Evaline's older than me. Smarter, too.

Evaline's good to me, too. I remember this one time I asked her why she was so good to me. She said, "Ian, y'all are a fool if ya don't know why Ah'm here with you." (Sis flies.) "The birds can't give—" I didn't know the rest of what she said, because Magneto (Magnet Man, to me) started talking about _Homo sapiens_.

Magneto is the biggest Darwinist I've ever known, besides myself, at any rate. That's the best reason I'm here, really. Evaline and me, and the rest of us— we're superior to the _Homo sapiens_ of the world. I don't know any of them who can see in the dark like I can, or from far away. And certainly none of them can fly without planes or whatnot. But Evaline can. Magneto can.

If there's a fight— and there will be— _we_ will win. There's more of us, and we're fighting for something. Those others, they're fighting against us, and we won't let this be another Holocaust. Magneto says if we don't do something, we'll all be cured.

Not that there's anything wrong with us. We're the cure. Not them. We are better, and stronger, and on top of the food chain. Maybe we have our own food chain, but everyone on it deserves to be way on top of regular humans.

Of course, some of us would do more good for the world if they were six feet under. To say nothing of, say, Fireboy. Or that catty girl. Man, is she a piece of work. But she can see in the dark. That kind of makes up for everything.

At least, that's my excuse.

_14:47_

— _Ian Rey._

---

Griffin Fox ducked under a tree branch, a cigarette clenched in his teeth. The burning end shone blue in his vision, and his nose was a bright orange. He loved infrared. Colors were nonexistent. Heat was all.

Griffin was looking for Cat, the Asian girl whose watch had just finished. She always surprised him when he found her— or rather, when she found him. Cat always jumped out at him, all feline-like, freaking Griffin out like a landlocked shark.

They played a cruel game— Griffin would look for Cat, Cat would jump out at him and steal his cigarette while she was at it, Cat would go back to camp, Griffin would do patrol. So far, Cat had won every time, which left Griffin spooked and without a cigarette. He didn't know what she did with the Camels she stole but fantasized about a whole tentful of cigarettes.

Pretty ridiculous, considering how bitchy Cat was, but Griffin could always dream. Of course, just then, Cat jumped him.

"MRARGH!"

Griffin scrambled backwards but Cat pounced right on target. He fell back, Cat pinning his knees with her feet and his chest with her fists. Her eyes flashed gold, triumphant. She jerked his Camel from his mouth, stuck it between her teeth, and sprung up onto a low branch. She scrambled through the trees and disappeared.

The whole affair lasted about a minute. Griffin was ashamed, but laughed all the same.

What's discourse and thievery among friends?

---

In actuality, the Camel cigarettes didn't even make it to camp. Cat would put them out on a tree she happened to stop on and drop them. Since Griffin was never out in the woods during the day, he couldn't see them. They were cold as rocks or wood by the next midnight, and virtually indiscernible from either in the infrared spectrum.

Dart snorted when he saw one on the ground and picked it up to stick in his mouth.

He had a lighter on him all the time, and he'd usually pick the thing up, wipe it off, and light it. He was only fifteen, but there was never much to do in Oak Harbor. Smoking, getting high— those were the real excitement in Dart's hometown.

Even though most of the camp slept, Dart liked to wander through the woods while Cat was doing her watch. They never ran into each other; Dart suspected that wasn't entirely coincidental. Cat was bitchy to people she was around, and she tried to be nice to him. What better way to go around it than staying away?

Besides, if Cat was hanging out with him, how could she make sure no one found out where they were? The government could be smart at times, but Magneto wanted them to be completely in the dark on the Brotherhood's whereabouts.

Dart could hardly argue with that— when he'd run away three years back, he sure didn't leave any clues on his destination. He did leave a false tip— he'd bought an airplane ticket to Florida on his mom's debit card.

He'd also given the ticket to a hobo in Seattle who was more than happy to go to warmer weather.

Dart grinned as he remembered the news feeds when his parents had made the police jump the plane and drag out said hobo. Maybe it had been cruel of him to use the guy, but it was funny in retrospect.

He took a drag on the newly lit Camel and exhaled slowly, trying and failing to make a smoke ring. He leaned up against a tree and closed his eyes.

"Dart!"

Dart jerked and banged his head on a branch. He lost his footing and slid down to sit cross-legged amidst the leaves.

"Damn it, Cat, don't _do_ that!"

Cat dropped from above and sat down across from Dart. "You shouldn't smoke those."

"You do."

"I'm not fifteen." Cat raised her eyebrows and rubbed her cheek against her shoulder. "And I don't smoke Camels. They're bad make."

Dart harrumphed and stood up. He slapped his jeans a few times to unstick the leaves. "What do you smoke then, Cuban cigars?" Cat laughed and took the cigarette from Dart, rolling it between her fingers. "Hey!"

"Dart, these things will yellow your teeth and make you smell bad."

"Like the camp's a haven of nice-smelling flowers. When was the last time_you_ bathed?"

"This morning." Cat was smug.

"With what shower?"

"I'm a cat, remember? We preen." Cat smirked at Dart's expression of revulsion. "Lolo, I'm kidding. But one of the people here can shoot water, it's as good of a bath as I'm getting out here. And I naturally smell delicious. Unlike some people I know." She gave Dart a significant look.

"It's not my fault the Morlocks live in the sewers!"

Cat suddenly stood and stared Dart in the eye, her nose crunched distastefully. "Did I say it was, birdbrain?" She turned and disappeared through the shadows beyond the circle of light cast by Dart's lighter. "Don't wait up, _sewer rat_," she called back. "And go see Fish!"

Dart frowned. "'Fish'?"

---

_03:41_

I don't really know why we have to watch. Can't Callisto just tell Magneto when there's someone coming? That'd sure make _my_ life easier. And it's not like it takes any energy for her to tell. But doing watch... that's exhausting.

I have to do watch after the catty girl. It's damn near impossible to find her. Thank god I'm not Griffin— he says she pounces him when she finds him at the end of his watch. And steals his cigarettes! Absolutely ridiculous.

Though it does sound kind of funny, when you think about it. 'Large black man pounced on by catty Asian girl' would be a good article title for a Brotherhood Herald. Ha, ha.

I found Cat-girl easy enough today, though. She seemed in a bad mood (big surprise there) and didn't even call me a name. I asked her what was bothering her, and she snapped when I called her Cat-girl.

She said her name was Missy, which is about the stupidest name I've ever heard. I've decided not to tell anyone, since they'd probably just laugh at her and then she'd kill me or something.

Evaline said Missy was a nickname for Melissa, which is still a pretty bad name. Of course, I can't really talk, since Evaline's middle name is Meritxell. Yech.

But I suppose that's what she gets, for being named after a town.

_03:51_

—_Ian Rey._

_---_

'Fish' turned out to be a pale twenty-ish guy with mussed brown hair.

"Mark Jacobson," he said. Dart took his extended hand; Mark's was slightly damp.

"Dart. Cat said you shoot water."

Mark Jacobson grinned. "Yeah." He wiped his hands on his shirt. "She's a piece of work, isn't she? She has a real attitude. But I guess I would too, if I had the mindset of a cat." At Dart's raised eyebrows, he said, "I mean, cats get pretty pissed real fast. You're petting them, and then their claws are two inches deep in your hand. That ever happen to you?"

Dart shook his head. "Cats tend to like me. I'm Perry Jephson."

"Is there a reason you're called Dart?"

"Obviously. He must shoot darts, Mark. Hi," a girl said. Mark and Dart turned as she crunched along a trampled path towards them. "I'm Nazeela Hena." Dart nodded. Nazeela slid her arm around Mark Jacobson's waist. "Shiva."

"I shoot poisoned darts. From the insides of my wrists."

"That's pretty sweet," Nazeela Hena said. "By the way, you positively reek, man. Where are you from, the sewers or something?"

Dart's nails drew little half-circles in his palms, but gracefully accepted Fish's offer of a 'shower'.

Nazeela Hena laughed, and skipped off through the woods, singing loud songs about men, destruction, and religious wars.


	2. Quakers

Same disclaimers as before: I don't own Marvel, but Marvel doesn't own me, and I own everything that doesn't belong to Marvel.

Read and review!

* * *

_**13 Jun 07**_

Dart woke up with an acrid taste in his mouth. He flung the thin blanket off of himself and stuck his head outside of his tent to spit.

He stepped out of his tent, his jeans and shirt rumpled, and kicked some dirt over the spit. He heard Griffin Fox in the next tent snoring and jogged off towards Cat's tent.

Dart didn't hear anything inside her tent. "Cat? You there?" He tugged at the tent wall. "Cat?"

"I'm up, Dart." Cat's arms were crossed as Dart turned, relieved, to see her already behind him. "What do you want?" She had faint circles under her eyes and looked as unsteady on her feet as Dart had ever seen her.

"You look like a walking zombie," he said. She grunted in response. "Either that or slightly hungover. Late night?"

"_Ob_viously. There's only so many people who can successfully do watch at night. Lucky me has the midnight shift."

Dart nodded sympathetically. "That sucks."

"Doesn't it? Come on, I'm hungry." She stormed off; Dart trailed along behind, his fingers hooked in his belt loops.

He caught up to her as she collapsed on a log used as a bench. "I'll get us some breakfast." Cat nodded and waved him away.

The woman who cooked for them, Anne 'Bravo' Schönberg, was one of Dart's Morlock friends. She was hardly a gourmet chef, but packaged oatmeal tended to be easy to make. Dart checked out the package lying in a scrap pile on the ground. "Quakers _again_?"

"Look, I don't get us provisions, ass! So go complain to someone else and leave me alone, moth—"

"It's me, Bravo, chill! And watch your mouth, there might be kids around."

Anne finally looked at Dart and smiled, her yellow eyes softening. "Sorry, I'm sick of all these people complaining. Quakers happens to be good for you."

"Don't I know it," Dart muttered. While he'd been traveling from New York to California, he'd had Quakers oatmeal every blasted morning. "I need two bowls. I decided I'd take pity on you and let Cat mope over there to me instead of to you."

"Thank the Lord for you, then. Here, don't spill. It's hot."

"I know, I know. Thanks." Dart balanced the two steaming bowls and made his way back to Cat, who scowled.

"Oatmeal again? I can't live off this stuff!"

Dart sighed. "Cat, there'll be something else for lunch. Please just eat it so you don't pass out." Cat silenced at his pleading and wrinkled her nose. "It's got cinnamon in it," he added.

She gave in and dug out a spoonful of sweet-smelling sludge. Dart took some as well, and the two sat silent until two other mutants plopped down on Dart's other side.

"Ah can' believe th' guy! He's not only a pompous ass, but a brat! He's worse than Dana's eight-year old brother!" That was a boy.

"What, Quentin? He's cute." The girl sniffed. "Y' prob'ly deserved whatever he did, ya know. Y' aren' th' most honorable of men."

"Evaline, Ah tripped him! By accident!"

"Accident mah ass, Ian! Ya jabbed th' stick right at his ankles, and ya knew he'd almost burn himself."

"Well_maybe_if he didn' flick that goddamned laughter of his all th' tahme—"

"Would you two shut _up_?" Cat cried. She flung her half-empty bowl to the ground and rounded on them. "I was _trying_ to eat." Her mouth was a thin line, and her eyebrows threatened to meet above her nose.

"Hey, y'all're Cat-girl." The boy, Ian, stood up and gave a lopsided grin. "Ah didn't see ya there." Cat's glare did not diminish. "Ah got th' shift after ya."

"Bully for you. Go off and argue with your girlfriend somewhere else."

"Ah'm his sister," the girl said. "Evaline."

"Dart. A pleasure," Dart broke in. He gave Cat a warning look and she growled and strode away. But she returned quickly. "What?"

"There's some kid who controls fire!" Cat laughed. "That's the coolest! Is he, like, some sort of pyrokineticist?"

Ian blanched and tried to slip off, but Cat grabbed his arm. "Who is he?"

"Fahreboy. Ah mean, Pyro," he corrected, at a harsh nudge from his sister. "Would ya let meh go!" Cat pushed his arm away from her just as a bolt of fire streamed at Ian. She hissed and pushed Dart back, causing them both to trip over the log they'd been sitting on.

Dart stuck his head up and saw Ian pulling off a smoking biker's glove. "Ah spent forty dollars on those!" he shouted.

"Next time, remember that when you trip me." The voice belonged to yet another pale guy with mussed hair, though 'Pyro's' was yellow-brown. He was flicking a lighter with his right hand; Ian glared at him.

"Get lost," Ian snarled. "Go back ta ya daddy Magneto, he'll protect ya."

"Oh, no, I'm getting looked at!" Pyro sneered. "You can't do anything except look, _Drac_. Don't forget who's in charge around here."

Evaline Rey stepped right up beside her brother just as a disgusted Cat snuck off behind Pyro. "Want ta say that again?"

Pyro stepped up until he was looking down at Evaline and smirked until Evaline flew up in the air and kicked him under the chin. She hovered, her eyes narrowed and her jaw set. "Do ya?"

As the three had a stare-down, Dart cautiously came up and went to follow Cat. Unfortunately, Pyro chose that moment to turn and storm away, and the two collided. Dart swore, having fallen enough times in the past twelve hours to satisfy him for a long time.

"Watch it, jackass."

Pyro pushed Dart back down as he tried to stand and strode off, only to halt a few feet away, his head cocked to one side, frowning.

Then came the familiar "MRARGH!!" and Pyro was face down on the ground, with Cat pinning his knees with her feet and his arms behind his back with one of her own.

"You'd better watch your mouth, _Fireboy_," Cat hissed. "Shadows are gonna start to have eyes. Don't touch Dart again, or you'll lose a lot more than this." Cat snatched up his lighter and rubbed his face in the dirt.

She leapt off him and swung up into the trees, disappearing sooner than Pyro could orient himself. He glared at them all, daring them to laugh, and strode off, his hands in fists and his face sprinkled with brown dirt.

Perry rubbed his hand along the outline of the lighter sitting in his back pocket.

---

"Ah can't believe th' nerve of th' guy!" Ian ranted. "Fireboy's a real loser, Fox, an' he knows Ah'm bettah. He's jealous!"

Griffin Fox leaned back against the tree and laughed, as he so often did. "And our friend Cat stole his lighter? I almost wish I could see Magneto's face if he finds out."

"Oh, he'll fahnd out. Ah'll make sure of it. Y'all don't worry, Ian's got ev'rythin' under control." Ian curled his hand into a fist, rubbing his slightly burnt glove with his other fingers.

"I don't know if that's such a great idea." Ian raised an eyebrow. "Cat might be reprimanded, and that means longer watches for us."

They both were quiet for a moment.

"Fine, Ah'll get 'im his lighter back. Maybe he'll forgive meh." Ian snorted, and then laughed.

Griffin joined him, and they relaxed after a few minutes.

"For some reason," Griffin said, "I think you and Pyro will be enemies for a long, long time."

Ian held his chin contemplatively in his hand. "Gee, Ah wonder why."

---

Anne Schönberg, resident cook for the area where her friend Dart lived, was finally sick of oatmeal. She sighed when she realized the only way to get other food was to talk to the man in charge. Magneto.

Anne never claimed to be a superheroine. She knew she wasn't pretty— with her beaky nose and thin mouth, not to mention how she looked about ten years older than she really was, anyone would be hard pressed to call her gorgeous. But where those gorgeous girls were soft and luscious, Anne knew how to be mean.

'Mean' differed from Cat's 'bitchy' in a few ways. Being mean lasted as long as you wanted it to, not as long as you lived. And Anne could get what she wanted without lifting a finger, whereas Cat pounced (prettily) to win.

So she told two lounging mutants, a large black man and a white boy, to dispose of the scrap pile. "And put the trash in a proper dumpster!" she called after them. But they laughed; even she knew litter was necessary when the closest dumpster was in human territory.

Anne made her way up towards the top of a little hill where Magneto and his 'high-class henchman' resided. She swerved in a wide circle to avoid Jean Grey— she rather wanted to live out the day— and finally found the entrance to Magneto's little cave.

The black-clad mutants who guarded the entrance looked up at her from their lounging seats on logs. Anne looked down her nose at them, fixing her eyes on their 'marks'. "I'm here to talk to Magneto."

The others whipped their heads around for a moment before realizing the seemingly bodiless voice was somehow Anne's. "Ventriloquy, my brothers. A helpful skill," Anne said, sugary sweet.

She swept past them and clanked down the metal stairs to Magneto's office. She jumped down the last few and caught Magneto's eye. But he turned back to a teenaged boy who was flicking a brightly colored Zippo lighter.

"We will attack in three days."

"Not sooner?" To Anne, the boy seemed like the perfect example of raging hormones and testosterone. She could tell he was itching for a fight. "Everyone's ready."

Magneto's metal chair moved back of its own accord, and he stood. "My plans have been pushed back since Mystique was... _cured_." Pyro scowled, and the older man glanced at Anne before smiling. "Patience, my brother. Nice and easy does the trick. Now," he said, "I believe we have a guest."

Pyro spun on his feet to look at Anne, who kept her eyes on Magneto. "I'm Bravo."

"Ah, our ventriloquist. And cook, I hear."

Anne smiled and spread her hands. "Someone has to do it. A hungry army is no army at all. Speaking of food, we need more."

"Of course. Callisto!"

A young girl, sporting leather and a tattoo, came down the stairs. "Yeah?"

"Would you be so kind as to fetch our cook Bravo here more food from the closest store?"

"Of course. But I'm not getting oatmeal." Anne smiled at her toothily.

"All the better." Callisto ran off; Anne guessed she was running at about 200 miles an hour. "Better," her voice came from one corner, "and better," and from the other.

Magneto smiled. "You are quite an asset for the Brotherhood."

"I'm glad to be here," Anne said. "I'm representing the New York City Morlocks, with Dart." Magneto raised an eyebrow. "He's fifteen, shoots darts from his wrists. Poisoned darts, incidentally."

His smile widened. "Better and better."

---

_15:13_

Well, Callisto does happen to be good for something. She managed to get us some food— and it's not oatmeal. Evaline and I are ecstatic, even though she's still kind of pissed with me and Pyro. She doesn't like taking sides, or so she says. (She really does love it, a lot more than I do. I just like being annoying to other annoying people.)

We do both agree on one thing— Pyro was an ass to Cat's friend. Dart, I think. I mean, who pushes a kid about half their size?

Apparently, Pyro. Evaline's making halfhearted excuses for him (I mean, he _is_ up in the Brotherhood hierarchy)— he was aggravated, and taking it out on a fifteen-year old is a lot easier than taking it out on her.

Except if said fifteen-year old is just about the only friend of the Brotherhood's resident feral bitch. That's kind of contradictory, though— feral is for cats, and bitch is a female dog. Hm.

Evaline just said I'm lucky that she's around. She's right, too— without her, I'd be basically just a guy who can see well. Not so amazing, next to sonic beams and flight, or pyrokinesis, or being feral and a bitch. Even though being bitchy isn't really a power. Just a personality trait.

I want to kill people who tell me I need more of those.

_15:24_

—_Ian Rey._


	3. Warm Milk

_**14 Jun 07**_

The next day, Dart and Cat sat side-by-side on the log and ate their Frosted Flakes, once again in silence. The warm milk rather disgusted Dart, but Cat had put in extra milk and happily slurped it from the bowl when she had finished the flakes.

Dart wasn't sure if her liking warm milk was genuine or just another way to enhance her catty image, but didn't dwell on it.

Ian and Evaline Rey sat a bit away from them with a black man who had a cigarette between his teeth. Cat said he was Griffin Fox, who had watch before her. Dart laughed when he realized he'd stolen Griffin Fox's Camel cigarettes countless times, and Griffin looked at them, smiled, and went to them. Ian and Evaline Rey trailed behind him. Strangely enough, when Dart looked over at Cat, she was smiling as well.

"Why, Cat, you're smiling," Griffin said. "I heard about your little bold act yesterday."

"What of it?"

"Do you still have Pyro's lighter?"

Cat laughed, and Ian looked drawn. "Did ya hide it?" Dart glanced at Cat, who pulled the very thing from her pocket and flicked it on and off. Ian sent her a malicious look, and she laughed and flicked it once more until it was on.

Dart looked at the steady flame. He glanced at Cat; she was smiling and staring at the fire, transfixed. She snapped the lighter suddenly shut, and Dart shook his head a bit.

"Are ya a pyromaniac?" Ian asked.

"No."

"Ah thought... well, d'ya like fire?"

"Obviously, hammerhead. It's fascinating. 'Look but don't touch', you know? For girls, it's like their celebrity love." Cat leaned back, certain everyone understood perfectly.

"Like Evaline is wi' John Mayer?"

"Ah'm not in love wi' John Mayer!"

Ian smirked and Cat spun the lighter around her fingers like a coin. "He must be feeling helpless," she said. She smiled widely. "What he deserves, really. No one messes with Dart." Dart smiled at her, and she mussed his auburn hair.

"Are you going to give it back?" Griffin tipped his head towards the shark-patterned lighter. Cat shrugged.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"If he has the balls to come get it, he'll get it. Eventually. If he apologizes and asks politely, I'll give it to him. But that depends on my mood."

"PMS much, huh?" Cat turned to glare at the passing guy, who leered at her in good spirit. Cat rolled her eyes and turned away, but not before Dart flicked his wrist at the guy.

The man dropped to the ground, a dart sticking out from his neck, and Cat spun on Dart, eyes narrowed. But Dart grinned.

"He'll wake up in an hour."

"I thought your darts were poisoned."

"Well, yeah. But I can control what kind of poison."

Cat frowned. "As long as he's not going to hold a grudge." Dart looked away, still grinning.

"Are ya related?" Evaline Rey asked.

"No. He just latches on to me like a trained monkey." Cat rumpled Dart's hair. "It's cool, though. He's my bodyguard."

"An' yer his," Ian added. He fingered his burnt glove and stood up to stretch. "Ah'm off. Gotta go see 'bout a thing." He left, and Evaline hesitated before following him, lifting off the ground to fly over and behind him where he wouldn't see her.

Griffin Fox looked at Cat closely. "Why did you take Pyro's lighter, my brave little friend?" Cat harrumphed. "You're making enemies," he said.

"Like I'd want to be his friend anyway," Cat said. "He called Dart a jackass, Griffin. Anyone who does that is no friend of mine." Cat glanced at her younger friend. "Dart, go get me some more milk." He raised an eyebrow. "Please."

Dart gave her a look but went away. Griffin turned to her. "What's so wonderful about him, Cat?"

"He cares about me. He's not cold-blooded, like those Omega people."

"You mean Callisto?"

"And Quill, and Arclight, and Psylocke. I feel like they'd knife me through in a second if they were told to. They're so cold."

"We all are a little cold," Griffin said. He nodded to Dart as he came back with a paper cup with milk. "I can't imagine feeling chummy with regular people. They are not usually kind."

"There's some kind people," Cat said. "They're just... hard to find."

"Too hard." Griffin stood and nodded at them. "I should go make sure Evaline doesn't do anything stupid as far as her brother is concerned."

Cat snorted, and waved him away. Dart looked at her, carefully.

"Cat, what if Ian Rey just went to tell Pyro where you were?"

"Ah, it's okay. I guess if you forgive him, I do." She glanced at him sideways. "Do you?"

"Yeah. He's just frustrated."

She rumpled his hair. "I'm glad you're here, at least." Dart curled his fingers around her wrist, and she turned and gave him a soft smile. "You're cool, Dart, ya know?"

"Yeah."

---

Evaline hovered along behind her brother, breathing as quietly as she could. She knew where he was going— to tell Pyro where to find Cat.

Naturally, it was her job to make sure Pyro didn't kill Ian while he was 'thanking' him for the information. And even if it wasn't her job, she'd rather have her brother alive than dead.

Ian nodded at some people, and Evaline put her finger to her lips if they noticed her, smirking at them. They all returned the look and went to whisper to their friends, or whatever people called their confidantes in the Brotherhood.

Once they approached the top of the hill, Evaline dropped lightly into the branches of a tree where she could see Pyro below her. She used her flight to quiet her descent until she was only about ten feet above him on the other side of the tree.

"Pyro," she heard her brother call. "Ah got somethin' ta tell ya."

"Really." Evaline grinned— Pyro's voice was laced with so much sarcasm that it rivaled the bitchiness of Cat's.

"Well, unless y'all don' want yer lighter back. Ah don' mind tellin' ya where it is."

She heard Pyro pop his knuckles. "Where is she?"

"Ah'll take ya."

"Tell me."

"_Boys_," Evaline muttered, silent.

"Cat's by the fire where ya saw her last time."

"She wasn't there an hour ago."

"She was sleepin'."

"And so she's just gonna give it back? Why are you even telling me, then, _Drac_?"

Evaline clenched her fingers, but her brother was strangely uncaring of the venom placed on his name.

"If y'all apologize she'll give it right back t'ya. And Ah decided Ah'd do better ta be yer ally, since y'are kinda Magneto's second or whatever."

"Good thinking."

Pyro went away, and Evaline was surprised when her brother appeared at the bottom of the tree.

"Hi, Ian."

"Y'don' need ta do that."

"Do what?"

"Act like Ah'm stupid."

"But y'are." Evaline grinned. "Ah'm gonna go make sure they don' kill each other."

"Good idea."

Evaline zoomed away, and dropped down to step in beside Pyro. He swore and almost walked into Griffin Fox, who carefully sidestepped him and winked at Evaline.

"Hi," she said to Pyro.

"The hell do you want?"

"Ah dunno. Just makin' sure ya don't kill anyone in one of yer rages."

"Funny."

They walked until the saw Cat and Dart chatting by the fire. Pyro stopped and pulled Evaline behind a cluster of trees. She frowned at him.

"Why'd she get so worked up?"

"Ah think that kid— Dart— he's like her brother. Ah dunno, they just kinda bonded or somethin'."

"Right. And who is she?"

"Cat."

"What's her other name?" Evaline went pink but didn't say anything. "Tell me," Pyro said. He pulled out a different lighter from his pocket and lit it, bringing it up in front of her face. "Now."

"Missy— Melissa. Ah dunno about her last name."

"Missy? And what's your name, then?"

"Ah'm Evaline."

"Drac's sister?"

"Yeah. Ah wish y'all didn't fahght so much. Ah don't lahke takin' sides."

"Sure you don't. You're only fighting a war."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be ridiculous, Pyro."

He didn't answer her, but watched from behind the tree as Cat— _Missy_— laughed at something Dart had said. Her skin was a little darker than the last time he'd seen her, probably from the sun, and her hair was black and it shone over her eyes.

"Checkin' her out?" Evaline said. He glared at her. "She is pretty, if y'all like Asian girls." Evaline peeked out over his head. "And she's got on a low-cut shirt."

Pyro's eyes followed Cat's collar down until it hit a band just under her bustline. His eyes focused on the space above her bust where a charm hung.

"What's she got on her neck?"

"Buddha. Go on, get it back." Evaline was up in the air and she toed his back with her boot. "Go on." He glared up at her, and she grinned. "Ah won't say anythin' about yer leerin' session, promise."

"Right."

Pyro disappeared around the tree, and Evaline smirked before flying off to find her brother.

_He'll have fun writing in his journal _now

---

Dart stopped talking when he saw Pyro coming towards them.

Cat turned as well, and stood up. She stuffed her hand deep in her pocket and narrowed her eyes.

"What?" she said.

Pyro didn't answer right away, but was focused on a spot below her collarbone. She flushed when she realized he was looking at her cleavage and crossed her arms.

"I wasn't looking at your boobs," Pyro said. "I was looking at your Buddha."

"Right, and they're _so_ far away from each other."

Dart glanced between them and caught Pyro's eye. The older boy stared down at Dart and his mouth narrowed.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Oh, it's fine." Dart grinned. "If you feel really bad about it, I can make you ill for a few days."

"That's okay." Pyro slid his gaze over to Cat, who had taken out the lighter again and was flicking the cap open and closed, though not starting the flame. She suddenly flung it at him; her nose twitched when he almost dropped it.

"It oughtta be illegal, having reflexes that slow," she snapped.

"Well, it's not." Pyro had a sudden urge to wrap a rope of fire around Cat's long neck. She gave him an arch look, and he flinched. "Ah. Thanks for the—" He stumbled, not sure what to say, not sure _why_ he was thanking her.

"The lighter," she supplied. They exchanged cool glances for a moment before Cat looked down at Dart, who was smirking. She thumped him atop the head and her face took on its usual sour look as she threw herself back down on the log next to Dart.

Pyro stood rooted to the spot for a moment before slowly sitting down next to Cat, who looked at him with shock. He just stared at the embers in the campfire and winked, causing the sparks to shoot up into flames.

Cat sent him a full-toothed smile, and he caught the gold in her eyes.


	4. About Life

Pyro cleared his throat. "So."

Cat shot him yet another dirty look. He ignored it, and instead gestured to her necklace.

"You Buddhist or something?" She scoffed.

"Obviously."

"Chinese?"

Cat leapt up, chest heaving, and stepped back. "Of course not!" She curled her hands into fists and Pyro tensed. But she glanced over at Dart, who wagged his eyebrows at her, and she relaxed her stance.

"I'm Japanese."

"What's wrong with China?" Pyro sounded offended.

"Why? _You're_ not Chinese."

"No, I'm Australian.

Dart gave him a surprised look. "You hide the accent well." Pyro shrugged. "I mean, I could tell that Bravo was from New York City the first time I met her in Seattle. People forget that people can tell where you're from by your voice."

"Case study: those annoying siblings."

"You mean Evaline and Ian?"

"I s'pose."

"They talk too much," Cat said. Dart laughed at her, but Pyro frowned.

"I think they meddle too much."

"So do you," Cat snapped. She nudged his shin with her foot. "I'd've thought you'd have _responsibilities_, you're so high and mighty." She pursed her lips at him, and he stood up and flicked on a flame from both his wrists.

"Don't, Cat," Dart said. His black eyes were wide, and he'd raised his hand reluctantly. She flashed him a warm smile; Pyro clenched his fist, but she was already looking back at him with a slightly less hostile expression.

"The lady in red."

"Dr. Grey?"

Cat frowned. "Who? I meant the lady, the lady with red hair and stuff."

"Oh. What about her?"

"She shouldn't be here."

"Says who?"

"Says Shiva. She's unstable, she's not in control. She could destroy everything for miles around."

Pyro moved back as much as the log behind him would allow. She was shorter than him, but still, between the fire and the log, there wasn't enough space.

"I can't do anything about it. Talk to Magneto."

Cat snorted, amused. "You think I'm crazy enough to try that? He's about as unstable as she is."

"He's in control!"

"Not of his emotions! He's got more mood swings than a wahine during menopause!"

"Shut up, bitch, he knows what he's doing!"

"Didn't say that, did I. I just _said_ that I think he'd take criticism about as well as I take your face."

"Ooooh! Ouch, that hurts, it really does. And what's so great about your life that you'd care anyway? You don't have a lot going for you, _Cat-girl_."

"Fuck off, Fireboy, nobody asked you." Cat pursed her lips. "And like I'd leave this kid—" she gestured to Dart— "alone to be your punching bag. I'd just as soon kiss your feet!"

Pyro glanced at Dart, whose heart-shaped face was smeared in genuine adoration. His stomach twisted slightly, from disgust or envy he didn't know, and turned back to Cat— _Missy_. Melissa.

"You wouldn't kiss my feet," he started. He paused. "But I know you're just dying to kiss _me_, Missy."

Cat stared at him for a good ten seconds before tensing. But he knew she was going to pounce, and instead of letting her, he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back into the fire.

She screamed, and grabbed his arm before he could pull away. He stumbled, heard something whiz through the air, and they fell into the pile of sticks where the fire was burning.

But neither felt a thing. The fire was warm, but hardly enough to burn. Cat breathed hard, and Pyro was kneeling haphazardly over her, one arm gripped in her hand. He smirked, proud of himself, and she slapped him.

He snarled and then leaned down in a burst of the heatless fire and kissed her, hard. He watched from beneath his eyelids as her face struggled to realize what had happened, and then he pulled back up.

"There, see!" He stood up and stepped back, out of the fire. She was still lying in the sticks, a strained look on her face. He fisted his hand and the fire rose in temperature, slowly. Deadly. "_Dying_ to kiss me," he teased.

But then Cat was being pulled out of the fire, and Pyro stared as she collapsed onto her knees, gasping. And then he saw that one of the cold-hearted Omegas had let fly with a sharp bone. He reached out with his hand and the fire overtook him; he heard the man's agonized cries with glee before turning back to Cat and Dart.

Dart flicked his wrist, and she immediately collapsed. He glared at Pyro. "If you're not gonna help, get out of here before I kill you."

Pyro was startled, but knelt next to Cat. He had no intention of leaving. He pulled off his jacket and glanced at Dart.

"This gonna hurt her?"

"What do you care?" Dart shot back; Pyro rolled his eyes and pulled the bone out of her side. She didn't move, even though Dart flinched.

"How old are you?" Pyro asked.

"Fifteen."

"And her?"

"Seventeen, eighteen. Eighteen, I think. She never said." Pyro flicked on a light and held it close to her arm, letting the fire flicker into her wound. "Why'd you kiss her?"

Pyro opened and closed his mouth a few times before shrugging. "Felt like it."

"You know, she really doesn't believe in romance."

"Don't care." Pyro pulled hard at the bottom of his shirt until it ripped. He'd been working through the hole in her shirt, but hesitated to pull it up to tie the makeshift bandage around it.

Dart pushed him away and pushed her shirt up as much as he needed to. He threaded his arms around his friend's middle and tied it tightly. "If you don't care," he asked, "then why are you still here?"

"She cares about you."

Dart sent him a humored look. "I know. I care about her, too. But you sure don't give a shit about me, so you must care about her." He waved his hand at Cat, and pulled the dart he'd shot at her out of her arm.

"She's not used to pain?"

"What do you mean?"

"She's tough, or she acts it, but she's never really been hurt. Something that shallow wouldn't send most fighters to their knees."

"Course she isn't tough. Look at her. Underneath all that dirt, she's just lost."

"You're pretty sure of yourself for a fifteen-year old."

"I'm right, I'm sure of it. Just look at her, you know I'm right."

Pyro looked at her, but couldn't see anything lost about her. Maybe her Buddha charm, but that was just like wearing a cross, wasn't it? "I don't see it," he said.

"No, _you_ wouldn't." Pyro gave Dart a look, and the younger boy rolled his eyes. "You're so obsessed with what's right and all that shit. Her— man, I don't even know why she's here. She always says there's good humans out there— if she thinks that, I don't know why she didn't just go join up with those X-idiots."

"They wouldn't want her."

Dart raised his eyebrows. "How do you know?"

"None of your business. Why doesn't she believe in romance?"

"What's to believe? It's a load of crap." Dart pushed Cat's hair away from her face, gentle. "It's like some dumb fairy tale, ya know? Just makes you blind to the world."

"What's so great about the world?" Pyro reached out to Cat's arm and ran a finger down to her wrist.

"If you don't keep your eyes open—" Dart flicked his wrist, and Pyro suddenly felt the world spinning around him; his fingers dug into Cat's wrist— "you're dead."

Pyro's world went black.

---

_11:55_

Dart asked my help to bring Cat back to her tent. He's a little wisp of a thing, Dart. His name's really Perry Jephson, though he's like Fireboy in that whole don't-call-me-by-my-real-name strain.

He didn't know Cat's name was Missy. He asked me if I knew if it was; I don't know who told him, but it was probably Fireboy. Evaline told me she'd told him Cat's real name.

I wonder sometimes about her. Cat, I mean. Missy. Whatever. She's such a bitch, but she's so fucking good to Dart that it's almost sickening. Evaline's not half that good to me, but maybe that's because we're real siblings.

And then Dart told me that Pyro pushed her into a fire and kissed her! That shocked me. Annoyed me, too, a bit. Evaline said she bets he's secretly in love with her, though I seriously doubt it. He's a guy, after all, and she's always wearing that low-cut shirt of hers. What's a guy to do, really, but kiss her if he's on top of her?

Fucking hormones.

_12:01_

— _Ian Rey._

---

_**15 Jun 07**_

"Shit!"

Dart grinned and turned around, dashing back to Cat's tent.

"You're alive," he said, hesitating in the mouth of her tent. She glared at him.

"Who was it?"

"What?"

"Who threw that thing at me, Dart? I'll call you Perry," she threatened. He shifted on his feet and didn't meet her eyes. "Did Fireboy have someone do it?"

"No, of course not. At least, I don't think so."

"There's no 'of course' about that fucked up kid, Dart. Perry." Cat's eyes narrowed. He sighed.

"Um. It was one of those Omegas. I dunno his name, but he grows spikes—" Dart gestured at the insides of his arms, careful not to accidentally shoot anything of his own. "It wasn't as long or thick as his usual ones, though, I don't think he was trying to kill you, not that I'm making excuses for him or anything," he added quickly as he noticed Cat's fists.

"The bastard! I'll kill him!"

Cat leapt up, and then fell back on her sleeping bag with a moan. She clutched her side, and Dart looked at her, wide-eyed.

"Do you want me to knock you out, so it can heal?" She shook her head. "Er, do you want some water or something?" A nod; Dart left and looked around for Fish, grabbing his canteen on the way.

He found Fish where he'd seen him last time. Fish gladly complied with Dart's request for water; Dart had the feeling he liked his powers more than he liked Nazeela Hena, though he couldn't voice the thought in front of Fish.

Or Nazeela Hena, who had come up to them and was waving her hands about distractedly, talking about a friend of hers from back home being sent to the FBI because he was Muslim.

And she flicked her wrist at a tree and a dart thudded into a tree, and then she blushed to the roots of her dark hair. Dart stared at her.

"You— I— How'd you do that?"

"Um. I get the powers of people around me. That... that's my power."

"So you can do anything?"

"Not unless they're near me." Nazeela ran her fingers through her ponytail. "Um."

"That's really cool!" Dart was sincere in his compliment, though Nazeela looked a little worried.

"Thanks." She flashed Fish a more kindly look before going off.

"What's up with her?" Dart asked.

"Jean Grey, the psychic?"

"What about her?"

"She's completely unstable. Naz isn't the only one that thinks so— Callisto agrees with her, and she'd know."

"Oh."

Dart paused for a moment before Fish nodded at him and followed after his girlfriend in the other direction. Dart went over to the tree where Nazeela's dart had struck, and snorted when he saw the quickly rotting wood.

"Poison."

---

_12:45_

Evaline's just about ready to murder the guy who chucked that bone splinter at Cat-girl. I don't really blame her, but I think she's more angry about the whole not hurting the guys on your team rule breaking.

I'm just P.O.'ed about watches for Griffin and me being longer.

Evaline told me that Fireboy did almost roast the spike-thrower to a crisp. She said burning flesh smells disgusting, like I didn't know that. The guy didn't really get hurt, but he's gonna have some awful burns inside of his wrists now. It's gonna kill when he grows out his bones.

Serves him right for hurting Cat-girl.

Bastard.

_12:53_

—_Ian Rey_.


	5. Living Vicariously

Cat tapped her fingers on the ceiling of her tent. She finally managed to stand the pain and sit up, though anything more rigorous than that caused her to black out for a moment.

Dart knew she was itching for the pain to go away. He smiled at her from crouching in the open tent door.

"Some people say that revenge's best served cold, but I fucking want to rip this guy apart _now_!" Cat snarled and slammed her fists into the ceiling. "This invalid thing is ridiculous!"

"I don't like it either, when I'm sick. It sucks when I stick myself with a dart— I mean, depending on how angry I am. I remember I was furious this one day and I shot myself with a dart and boy, was that disgusting. I've never seen so much throw-up."

"That makes me feel so much better, Dart. Has anyone done anything about this Omega?"

"Well, actually." Dart paused, but Cat's raised eyebrow pressed him on. "Pyro did scorch him." He scratched his ear.

"What? Why?"

"Aren't you happy he got burns?"

Cat waved her hand dismissively. "But why would Pyro do anything like that? You must be confused. That motherfucking bastard is— is— I can't even think of a bad enough word for him, Dart!"

"I'm not mistaken; you want me to go find him and make him tell you?"

"He wouldn't leave the tent alive."

"He wouldn't have to come in," Dart said. "I'll go get him— he's coming anyway," he added as he glanced towards the campfire. "I'll just bring him over, then."

Dart scampered away and Cat flung a string of obscenities at him as he joined Ian and Evaline Rey at the pile of sticks that would later be put on fire.

Ian nearly jumped him when he approached them. "Is Cat-girl okay?"

"Duh." Dart eyed Ian. "Not you, too."

"What do you mean?" Ian glared at Dart.

"Pyro kissed her, you're asking about her health. Go write her a sonnet or something instead of writing in that fucked up journal of yours." Ian flipped him off and stalked away.

Evaline pursed her lips but smiled. "Is she completely crazy in there?" Dart nodded. "If y're looking fer Pyro— y' are, aren't ya? Oh, good— Ah saw him by his tent a little while ago. Come t'think of it, he was scribblin' away at somethin'. Maybe _he's_ writing a sonnet."

Dart laughed, thanked Evaline, and headed up the hill to find Pyro's tent.

---

The smell of burnt rubber made him crinkle his nose. He was a hundred or so feet past Jean Grey's tent when the smell hit him, and he followed it until he saw a column of smoke rising steadily into the treetops.

"Hey, Pyro!" Dart glanced around. He heard the igniters fizzle on, and turned around, not really surprised that Pyro had snuck up on him.

Pyro narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Come check up on Cat."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"She doesn't believe me that you scorched that guy. Just, come on. I did you a favor the other day."

"Really."

"If I hadn't forgiven you, you'd be so screwed over it'd almost be funny. Do you have any idea how much she cares about me?"

"No, not really."

"Did you ever have close friends?"

"What the hell does that have to do with?"

"Hmm, that is a bit of a stretch for you. Well, whatever. Just pretend you have this close friend. Who's also your cousin or something. You must have cousins."

"I _mustn't_ have anything."

"Imagine, then. And multiply by a hundred or something."

"I get it! Jesus."

"Do you? She loves me a hell of a lot more than you ever could love anyone," Dart spat. Pyro clenched his teeth together, keeping a shocking level of control.

"Look, dipstick, shut your fucking mouth before I knock your teeth out."

"Will you come?"

"If you shut up. And who're you doing this for, anyway?"

Dart laughed. "Like I'm going to answer that." Pyro mumbled something under his breath; Dart snorted. "Want a smoke?" He pulled a pack from his pocket with his lighter. Pyro raised an eyebrow.

"Not a Camel, those are terrible."

Dart smirked. "You and Cat have got more in common than you think."

Pyro glared, but Dart could see the corners of his mouth twitch.

And Dart smiled.

---

Evaline Rey kicked at the ground as she approached Cat-Missy's tent. She'd dawdled five minutes before going, waiting to see if Pyro would come.

Then she realized it would be easier just to be there before he got there.

"Cat?"

She pulled the tent flap out of the way to see Cat-Missy tracing the shadows from the trees on the roof.

"What do you want."

"Ah was wond'ring— well, are y' doin' alrahght?"

"I'm fucking fabulous. And is the sky pink?"

Evaline rolled her eyes. "Didn't think so." She squinted. "Did Pyro actually— um, well, did he really scorch that guy?" Cat arched her eyebrow and Evaline knew perfectly well Cat knew what Evaline hadn't wanted to say.

"I s'pose. I mean, Dart said he did, and much as Pyro's a fucking ass, I believe Dart about it."

"Hm." Evaline glanced at the bonfire. "How come y'all hate him so much?"

"Fireboy?"

Evaline laughed. "Sure."

"He's got a complex. I bet he went to some fancy school or something, they're all like how he is."

"Lahke who?"

"You know. MIT. Yale. Harvard."

"The Ivy's?"

"Yes, them." Cat picked at the dirt under her fingernails. "Isn't there some mutant school in New York or something?" Evaline shrugged. "I heard that's where the X-men work out of."

"Oh, the _X_-men." Evaline snorted. "They're so dumb. You'd think they'd realize after all this time that those humans are never going to accept us."

Cat-Missy rolled her eyes and gently poked her side; Evaline glanced at bonfire and spotted Dart and Pyro, Dart with a cigarette between his teeth.

"Oh, God."

Evaline looked back to see Cat-Missy scowling. And— _is that a blush?_

"Y're pink, Cat."

"Well." Cat didn't quite meet Evaline's eye.

"Ya lahke him?" Evaline beamed. _Just say 'yes!' to living vicariously through others._

"No, he's an asshole."

"But?" Evaline's facial muscles were cramping from her wide grin.

"But what?" Dart crowded Evaline over so he could squat in the tent door. "And who's an asshole?"

"I think we all know who the asshole is around here," Cat snapped. Her scowl deepened when she heard Pyro's lighter flicking. "Get the hell away from my tent, Fireboy."

"Fine with me," he retorted. Evaline grinned even wider, knowing Cat was blushing. "Your little weirdo threatened me."

"Good for him! Even better if he follows through!"

Evaline and Dart glanced smiled at each other.

"Play nahce, now."

"It's too early for murder."

"It's never too early for murder," Cat snapped.

"I second that," Pyro added.

"See? They're exactly alike," Dart said to Evaline. She laughed. "And they're such jerks, the two of them, that they'll kill each other within a month, I'd bet."

"No, they won't kill each other— they'll secretly fall in love and sing 'Some Enchan-ned Evenin'' or somethin'."

"How does that go again? _Do do-do do-do doo_." Dart clutched at his heart and batted his eyes at Evaline.

"'Y'all might meet a stranger'." She mimed waltzing as she sat, grinning. _I like this kid._

"Oh, shut up." Cat crossed her arms and scooted towards the back of her tent, away from Evaline and Dart.

Dart wiggled his eyebrows at Evaline and they stood up together.

"Bye, Cat," Evaline said.

"Bye," Dart said.

They hurried back towards the bonfire, leaving a sputtering Cat inside her tent and Pyro burning holes in the backs of their skulls.

Evaline glanced back once they were on the other side of the bonfire and sitting with Griffin Fox, who was big, almost thirty, and reading about Africa, and Anne Schönberg, the cooking ventriloquist who looked thirty-two but wasn't.

"What's got you two all bunched up?" Anne Schönberg said. Evaline and Dart exchanged grins.

"We're livin' vicariously through others," Evaline said.

"Does this mean more long watches for your brother and Griffy here?" Griffin rolled his eyes at 'Griffy'.

Dart gave a shout of laughter. "If you watch at night, I'd bet ten dollars on it. But not for another week."

"You think it'll take that long?"

"They're stubborn, what can I say. They still have to figure out they're a perfect teenaged couple."

"You guys obviously don't care about your health," Anne remarked.

"Nope. The looks on their faces are worth a kingdom."

"And our lives," Evaline added, beaming.

"Well, if you put it that way." Anne rolled her wrists around, getting out a cramp. "I still think it'd be funner to watch them bitch at each other the rest of their lives."

"Different tastes, honey," Evaline shrugged. "Dart and I, we like old-fashioned romance. 'Some Enchan-ned Evenin',' right, Dart?" He laughed.

"_Do do-do do-do doo_."

---

_11:47_

Is it really that weird that I care if my fellow fighter is okay?

I mean, I know if I overreact, it means I like her or something, but if I don't care, I don't feel right. I know I'm a major-ass Darwinist, but Cat-girl... I don't know, Cat's Cat. Missy, Cat-girl, whatever. She's always the same, and there's not enough consistency around here.

I don't even know what happened to the blue lady. Mystique. Bravo said she heard Magneto say she was cured, but I don't believe it. Mystique's a martial genius; she wouldn't get shot with the cure.

I _know_ she didn't take it voluntarily.

And I liked her, a lot. She had a lot of spunk. And style. She was a stylish lady. I know she didn't wear clothes or anything, but she always had poise. That's what I was trying to say, poise. She didn't take bullshit from anyone.

People didn't give it to her much; I think Evaline did one time and Mystique almost snapped her neck, but we don't talk about it anymore.

I miss the blue lady, and I know I'd miss Cat, Missy, whatever, whoever, whomever, really, too.

I don't like emotional trauma.

_11:54_

—_Ian Rey_.


	6. Shh

Pyro flicked his lighter on and off.

He sort of wanted to send up Evaline Rey and Dart in flames, but doubted Magneto would be thrilled about it.

And it wasn't like he actually _liked_ Cat, because he didn't. Sure, she was kind of pretty, and wore low-cut shirts, but he was a teenager. Hormones had minds of their own. He couldn't help it; it was genetics.

Cat reminded him of himself, back when he'd been with Bobby and Rogue: bitchy, rude, good to his friends. He guessed how he felt about her was how Jubilee might have felt about him— a waste of space. But he clearly recalled her appreciative comments— "He's got a _great_ ass"— and attempts to steal his lighter.

Pyro heard Dart laughing and glanced over.

"Idiots."

He pulled back Cat's tent flap and paused.

Apparently, she thought Dart and Evaline were being idiots too, because all he saw in her tent was a sleeping bag, the bloodied part of his shirt he'd used as her bandage, and a pocket knife. Cat had cut herself a quasi-door in the back of her tent, and he scrambled in and pushed it aside to see her half-skipping away.

She was almost into the woods by the time he'd managed to crawl out the back of her tent, and he followed her at a walk.

Dart had said Cat didn't believe in romance— Pyro didn't much, either. Sure, a good fuck was a good fuck, but anything more than that was a waste of time and energy. Keeping a girl happy in a relationship wasn't cheap, either, and Pyro had never had his fair share of the money in the world.

So he figured she'd never been kissed before; she didn't seem the type to care much about physical stuff. He hadn't thought of that before; no wonder she hadn't shoved him off.

And it hadn't been a nice kiss, either. He grinned. She'd doubtlessly get 'nice' kisses from Ian Rey the suck-up.

Pyro walked in random directions in the woods, knowing Cat was following him. When she dropped down from the trees in front of him, he barely flinched.

"Yo." He gave a grin and waved in her direction, ignoring her stony look.

"Don't '_yo_' me, Fireboy." She crossed her arms. "What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean, what's _wrong_ with me?"

"Do I need to spell it out for you, you lolo?"

"Probably." He grinned again; she scowled.

"Where do you get the ideas you have, to be such a dick?"

Pyro snickered. "You're calling _me_ a dick? You're no picture of innocence, either, Missy."

"Don't call me Missy." She tensed; barely, but he saw.

"Why not? Afraid someone might get to you?"

He knew he'd struck a chord when she made fists in her pockets. For the first time, she looked away.

"You don't let people call you by _your_ name, either."

"That's different," he said.

"How?" She looked back at him, eyebrows raised. "Just because you know my name and I don't know yours?"

"Yeah, mostly."

"Were you this much of a jerk before?" She rocked back and forth on her feet, a quirky look on her face.

"Hm, probably."

"What do you get out of it? You must have no friends."

"What is it with you and your little lackey and friends?!"

"Sor-_ry_, we actually _have_ friends. But I understand that you don't."

"I do have friends, though! Stop assuming things, whacka."

"You never said otherwise." Cat looked smug, and Pyro half expected her to curl her tail around her feet, though of course she didn't have a tail. "But lolo, seriously, you call me Missy again..."

"Like you can entice me to stop doing something I want to. I'm John, then, if you think it's fair."

"Not really."

But even though her mouth tightened a little at the edges, she didn't frown again. And when he smirked at her, her eyes crinkled at the edges.

_Gotcha_.

---

Dart and Bravo ate the last of the sugary cereal.

Despite Anne's reluctance to eat anything unhealthy, she licked her fingers to get the last bits of sugar.

"How's Wayne?" Dart asked.

"He's been busy. His mum's taken the cure."

"Voluntarily?!"

"Yeah. I can understand it, she was just about dying in the sewers. She's got MS, you know." Dart shook his head. "She needed serious medical attention lately and couldn't get it the way she was."

Dart nodded. Wayne Zacks's mother had a satyr-like appearance, or she had before the cure, at any rate, with cloven feet, furred legs, the works. He didn't know how they managed in the sewers; he knew he'd hated it, though he'd never say so to Anne.

"How's he handling it?"

"Better than he might be if he was up higher in the circle here, I suppose. He hasn't disowned her or anything, he's been almost supportive. I guess I'd've wanted my mother to take the cure if she'd needed medical attention."

"Mm." Dart stretched his arms in front of him, careful to clench his wrists to keep anything from flying out. He didn't like talking about Anne's parents; angry humans had murdered them before Perry had known her.

"So, do you think Cat and Pyro are getting it on?" Anne asked.

Dart laughed. "Not quite yet. But soon. And then I'll say I told you so."

"Maybe. And you don't mind?" She looked at him. He shrugged.

"Not so much. Evaline's keeping me company. And you are. And besides, I think she does want some romance, even if she says she doesn't believe in it. You don't have to believe in something to want it."

"That's for sure."

"Yeah."

---

_12:59_

Evaline's taking advantage of Cat-Missy.

Just because Evaline can't get a guy doesn't mean she's free to take control of everyone else's personal life.

Is Fireboy going to make Missy happy? Sure, they are "exactly alike", and they both think it's never too early for murder, but that doesn't mean they'll be happy together.

If I told Evaline that, she'd laugh at me and tell me I must be in love with her, too. But none of us here are in love with anyone. Except maybe that Fish guy and his Indian girlfriend. They're always together. And I mean always.

I don't love her, I don't even like her as a person very much. She's a bitch. Missy, I mean. Anyone who said she wasn't would be lying.

Anyway.

So Evaline's made friends with Dart. They get along spectacularly. They both love making me frustrated.

They both think Missy and Pyro are going to be the perfect teenaged couple. I think they're going to be perfectly miserable.

And that's not just my hormones talking, I swear.

_13:10_

—_Ian Rey._

---

"So how exactly do you slither around up there?"

"I don't slither!"

"Whatever you call it."

"It's my mutation, idiot."

"Just the agility?"

"No. If it was just the agility, I wouldn't do the midnight watch."

Pyro glanced over at Missy. Her hands were in her pockets and she was eyeing the trees.

"So what else can you do then?"

"Hear better, smell better, see at night. That's about it."

"And you're just naturally gifted at slinking around in the trees?"

"I took gymnastics for a while." She fiddled with her Buddha charm. "Nine years. I was good." She glanced at him; she wasn't boasting.

"Can I see that?"

"What?"

"Your Buddha." She shrugged and held it out on its chain, still fastened around her neck. "I can't really—"

"I don't take it off. Ever."

"Okay then." Pyro approached her; she didn't flinch away even though he could feel her breath on his hand when he took the charm from her. "What is it, jade or something?"

He glanced up at her; she kept her eyes on his hand wrapped around the Buddha. "I'm not sure." She looked up at him and her breath caught. She hadn't realized he'd moved closer. "I think— I think—"

"Shhh," he whispered. He kissed her neck under her ear and moved down her jaw. He dropped the charm and it fell against her chest; she clenched the front of his shirt as he kissed the side of her mouth.

"Shhh."


	7. Snickt greatest noise EVER

Missy's eyes were brighter than usual when Pyro pulled away from her. He kept his hands on her hips and didn't protest when she tugged him towards her again.

He could feel her breath on his lips when she suddenly pushed him away from her and moved away from the tree.

"What—"

"Shut up," Missy hissed. She glanced around, frowning. "There's someone nearby."

"And?"

Missy glared at him. "They shouldn't be. Now shut up." She spun around, sniffing at the air. She glanced around and paused, looking back at Pyro. "Stay here," she whispered, and then she pulled herself into the trees, hiding a wince.

Pyro stepped back and watched her sneak through the branches. "Bitch," he said. He turned to go back to camp, and then remembered she was still recovering from being stabbed in the side. He turned back and caught sight of her light shirt in the branches.

He ran after her.

She was moving quicker than Pyro thought was possible for a human in the trees. He kept one eye on her shirt and the other on the ground.

When he lost sight of her shirt, he paused. "Missy," he hissed. A rustle above him caught his attention, and he looked up to see Missy halted, glaring down at him.

"Shut the fuck up, Fireboy, I'm trying to do my job."

Missy threw something down at him and he shielded his face; by the time he let his hands down she'd disappeared. And all she'd thrown at him were crumpled leaves.

"Fuck," he said.

---

The Brotherhood was gathering around. Magneto was going to give a speech, or something, and Dart was looking for Cat.

He hadn't seen her since he'd run away from her tent with Evaline. He checked in her tent, and sucked in a harsh breath. A door was cut out of the back wall with a pocket knife, and her bandage was unwound next to her sleeping bag.

"Fuck!"

Dart scrambled out through the back of Cat's tent and ran into the woods, certain she'd be nowhere else. He didn't know where to look until he saw Pyro spinning in place, cursing.

"Pyro!"

Pyro flicked on his igniter but Dart didn't bother paying it any attention.

"Where's Cat?"

"She ran off!"

"What? No way," Dart crossed his arms. "Why?"

"She said someone was around that shouldn't be, that's all."

Dart's eyes widened. "That could be the government or something, the X-men. She's just been gouged in the side, Pyro, and she does not have healing powers. What the fuck are you doing spinning like a ballerina?"

"I'd've followed her if she'd let me," he retorted. "She ran off, like I said."

"The fuck you would've followed her."

"I would have!"

Dart rubbed the insides of his wrists. Pyro noticed and tensed, but Dart only glanced around.

"Obviously she went away from camp, right?" Pyro raised his eyes and shrugged. "Right. Just, go that way. I'll go this way."

Pyro rolled his eyes. "Who gave you a tiara, then?"

"You did, when you didn't make any suggestions," Dart snapped. "She's in no shape to be fighting off soldiers or anything like that."

"Right."

Dart watched Pyro leave in a different direction before he ran back to camp to find Evaline. She could fly. She'd find Cat.

---

_13:47_

Magneto wants to talk to us.

It has to be about us stopping the cure. I mean, it's been too long since it's been out, and they're shooting mutants with it— making them human.

It's all against God's will, against the natural order of things. If things went the way they were supposed to, we'd be turning them into us, like Magneto tried to do last year. But of course the fucking X-men turned us into prey again.

I don't get why they don't understand that people are always going to be scared of us. People are scared of the X-men, not just us. Truth is, we're the good guys for ourselves. We fight for ourselves. We're not hypocrites like them, letting the people who want us dead live.

We burn them.

Or Fireboy does. I can't really make people burn. I hate to admit it, but he's right— I can't do anything cool like him and Magneto. I can't control things, I just can see well.

I guess it takes all kinds of advancement to move forward. Evaline says you need to crawl before you can walk. I tell her you don't need to do either of those to fly.

She tells me I'm right but that not everyone can fly. Most people can't, but it's the fact that Evaline can that pisses me off. Why can she do that and her little sonic waves when I can just see?

I guess it's like how she has brown eyes and mine are hazel.

Except in the scheme of things, eye color doesn't really matter.

If this really is a new holocaust, I doubt they'll care that I've got Aryan coloring.

They'll just care that I'm better than them, because they'll always be afraid of me. Of us.

Thing is, they're trying to make us afraid of them. The Brotherhood knows that bullshit. But no one else seems to. They see what's happening in the world— persecution, hatred, that shit, and think that faking being 'normal' will change it.

But they'll always be mutants.

There's nothing to cure.

_13:58_

—_Ian Rey._

---

Callisto had sought out Anne Schönberg before Magneto gave his speech to have her let everyone know. Anne loved using her powers, and spoke in one voice in everyone's ear.

Then she asked Callisto where Dart was, and Callisto told her.

Then Magneto had beckoned them to stand behind him on the little hillock he spoke from, and even though Bravo knew Dart wasn't there she couldn't go look for him.

But Callisto told her to go get Pyro, and so Bravo went.

Why were the young people always in charge?

---

Pyro jogged through the woods, listening and looking for a sign of Missy.

He was looking more for himself than for her. He knew she could handle herself, in most situations. She'd certainly taken him down, and he didn't like to think of himself as weaker than a girl.

A smallish Asian girl at that.

No, Pyro was pretty sure Missy could handle herself. He just wanted the action, he told himself.

And maybe to play hero to Missy.

He stopped suddenly— he heard a growl from above him that was too deep to be Missy's— or anyone else's from the Brotherhood that growled, for that matter. He looked up and saw the last person he wanted to see perched in a tree.

_Wolverine_.

Pyro didn't have time to react before Logan's claws extended with a _snickt_. He knew he must have looked scared, because Logan hesitated long enough for someone else— someone smaller and more Asian— to ram into him, bringing them both down from the trees.

He stumbled away from them, bringing up a fireball.

Logan and Missy were a tangle of limbs and flashing metal. Missy screamed even before she hit the ground with Logan pinning her down, one arm extended in a warning towards Pyro and the other at Missy's neck, his two outer claws pinning her to the ground.

Missy's eyes were glazed over, and her face was strained again. She cast her eyes around— first up at Logan, then at Pyro, back to Logan, and then to her fist, clutched at her chest. Pyro knew it was her Buddha, and then a rage overtook him and he sent an inferno at Wolverine.

When the flames cleared, Missy cowered alone on the ground and Logan was gone.

Pyro dropped his lighter and ran to her, pulling her up into a sitting position. She bit her lip, her eyes watering, and he ran his hand down her side, bringing it away with the tips tinged red.

"You're bleeding again," he said. She rolled her eyes with effort and pressed her hand against her side. He covered her hand with his own and wrapped his other arm around her back, resting his hand on her forehead. He kissed the top of her head, and she shook her head slightly.

"Stop it," she muttered. "I'm fine."

"No you aren't," he snapped. "Don't bullshit me, Missy."

"Don't baby me, _John_, I'm not your kid sister or something."

"Define 'or something'." She rolled her eyes again, and he picked her up before she could protest. He started walking, and she pushed against him. "I'm bringing you back to camp, you can't get there yourself."

"My poor ego," she said. She clutched at the front of his shirt again and he paused to look down at her. She reached one hand up to his collar and pulled; he smirked and kissed her as she twined her arm around his neck.

He pulled away and she stifled a moan, eyes glassy again. "You're a real piece of work, Missy."

"I know."

"What's your last name?"

"Nothing doing, Pyro." She closed her eyes, frowning again. "Who was that? Do you know?"

"Wolverine."

She opened one eye. "X-men?"

"How'd you know?"

"They're the only other people who have weird names like us—"

"Cat!"

Pyro spun and almost dropped Missy in his shock. She managed to keep a hold on around his neck as he flung out one hand full of fire with the other arm under her knees.

"Dart!"

Her face transformed— the pain disappeared. Pyro extinguished the fire and frowned at Dart. He had come from the air, and then Pyro saw Evaline smirking at him from a low branch nearby.

"Bitch," he mouthed. She laughed and looked at Cat.

"Been busy, Ah see."

"There's an X-man around," Cat said coolly. "He almost cut my throat out. So yes, I _have_ been busy." She twisted slightly in Pyro's grip and pulled up her shirt; her side was bleeding again.

"Shit!"

Dart came forward, face pinched. Cat waved him off. "I'm okay, Dart, I just need to go back to my tent."

"Magneto's talkin' in, lahke, fahve minutes, Pyro. He was lookin' fahr ya."

Pyro swore and glanced down at Missy. Evaline came and slung her arm around Cat's shoulders; she exchanged a look with Pyro before Evaline took off into the air.

Dart cleared his throat, and Pyro rounded on him.

"You and her, after we get rid of the cure, are dead."

Dart shrugged and walked back towards camp. "Only trying to make her happy, Fireboy. I can see if you don't appreciate that."

Pyro jammed his hands in his pockets. "I'd like to force you into something."

"Good luck," Dart laughed.

"Bastard."

"Just honest and good to my friends." Dart was quiet. "Is she a good kisser?"

"Okay, you're dead now."

Dart snorted, and Pyro strung obscenities at him until Dart disappeared into the crowd and Pyro was next to Magneto, where he should have been all along.

Callisto snickered when he settled into place, and he knew she knew he'd basically been on top of Missy. He ignored her, though.

He liked kissing Missy more than he liked impassioned speeches.

And he was just being honest.


	8. Nirvana

Sorry about the delete and update of this chapter. I revamped the whole 8 chapters, actually, so although there's nothing absolutely major redone, if you have a strong urge to reread anything reread THIS.

And once again, this all belongs to me plot-wise. NO stealy. And I'm just borrowing things from Marvel, so don't sue me or anything.

* * *

Evaline hovered in the air above her brother. She glanced down at his enraptured face and looked back at Pyro. 

She couldn't understand why he kissed Cat. Aside from her taunts about her low-cut shirt and how she was pretty for an Asian girl, nothing stood out to her.

Nor did she get how Dart was okay with it. If Evaline were Dart, she'd never let Cat near Pyro.

_Well, if Ah was Dart, Pyro wouldn't'a got'n away with pushing meh in the first place._

It was obvious something was up between them, because even if she had been bleeding, Pyro wouldn't've been holding her like that if it was, say, Evaline who'd been hurt.

Hell, Evaline was willing to bet that Pyro would have laughed at her.

Though he did owe her for hooking them up. It was all because of her, after all. Her and Dart.

Pyro suddenly saw her watching him and glared at her. She only smirked and turned her eyes to Magneto.

"They wish to cure us but I say to you WE are the cure!"

Evaline cheered with the rest of them.

"The cure for that infirm, imperfect condition called Homo sapiens."

Evaline looked down at Ian, at his approval, and felt a burst of pride. Her, and him, that was perfection.

"They have their weapons," Magneto said. Evaline snorted.

_Some weap'ns. More lahke chahld's play._

"We have ours." Magneto glanced at the Phoenix, and Evaline hid a shudder.

_That's one unstable weap'n. Powerful or not._

"We will strike with a vengeance and a fury that this world has never witnessed! And if any mutants stand in our way we will use this poison against them!" Evaline frowned.

_No mut'nt deserves that, smart or dumb. Death's a better option._

"Nothing can stop us!" Magneto thrust his arms up and cheers shook the forest. Evaline punched the air and whooped with the rest of them.

_We're unstoppable._

---

"Naz, you need to talk to him!"

"Mark, I can't! It isn't up to me if she stays. Callisto's already talked to him, and she's actually, you know, a leader here!"

Fish grabbed Nazeela Hena's hand. "I'd tell him by myself if he'd think I wasn't being a jackass. Look, I need you to back me up here! I can't just go up and say, 'Hey, Mags, you're harboring an atomic bomb' or something! I don't want anyone to get hurt, but if she stays here, who knows!"

Nazeela tucked her dark hair behind her ears. "I know, I know. I just... he's not some nice, considering sort of guy, Mark, I— Look, Mark, it's just... hard."

"You mean scary."

"Look, if you wanna put it that way, I'm sure you're up to it all by yourself."

"I didn't mean that. Just come on. Please?"

Nazeela looked at Fish's lame puppy-dog eyes attempt and sighed. "Fine." She tugged her hand away from his and crossed her arms, stomping after Magneto.

They walked on in silence until Nazeela's eyes popped open and she flung an arm out to stop Fish.

"A healer!" she whispered. She frowned and felt the Phoenix nearby; she used the woman's telekinesis to float above the ground, motioning Fish to stay put. She raised herself into the air, towards Magneto, the Phoenix, and the unknown healer.

She saw the Phoenix standing away from Magneto and a scruffy, muscular man whom she'd never seen before. The Phoenix looked dejected-- or was that her telepathy taking hold in Shiva's mind? -- and aloof, determinedly not looking at the scruffy healer.

The healer, Shiva discovered with her borrowed telepathy, was Logan, the Wolverine, and he wanted to bring Jean home. Jean being the Phoenix, though Nazeela couldn't really imagine the Phoenix inspiring any feelings like Logan felt for her.

_That might be because I'm straight._

She didn't even try to reach into 'Jean's mind. She did rather want to live to see tomorrow, and even if Logan's image of her was angelic, Naz knew better. And from Magneto's assurances that no one was keeping the Phoenix where she was, Logan was starting to see it too.

"I came here for Jean and I'm not leaving without her!" Logan said. Nazeela held in a snort.

_Don't be ridiculous._

"Yes, you are." Magneto opened his raised fist and the Wolverine suddenly flew backwards through the trees.

Nazeela quickly pulled out of his head before he hit something, afraid she'd feel the same pain he did, and then she felt the Phoenix in her mind. She quickly pushed the woman out and fell down to the ground, slow enough to keep herself from breaking anything but too fast to land on her feet.

When she looked up, Magneto was standing over her with a small smile on his face.

"Hello, my dear."

"Hi?" Nazeela bit the inside of her lip.

_«She thinks I shouldn't be here.»_

It was the Phoenix, inside their heads, even though Jean Grey was looking away, walking away.

Magneto looked down at Nazeela again, frowning.

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt, sir," she said. "If we get hurt, who's going to get rid of the Cure? I don't want Jean to hurt herself, hurt anyone else. She's too powerful, too out of control, too—"

"Don't worry, my dear," Magneto said. He held out a hand and Nazeela took it and stood. "Everything will resolve itself in the end. And Jean will be no harm to you or to anyone else."

"Uh, thanks." She turned her head, sensing Fish coming up behind her, and smiled.

_«I wouldn't hurt you, Nazeela Hena,»_ the Phoenix thought to her, _«no matter what.»_

Nazeela smiled more broadly at Fish. "Thank you, sir," she said to Magneto. He nodded and Nazeela skipped off towards Fish.

"It's all okay, Mark," she said. "You don't need to worry anymore."

---

Everyone heard about the Wolverine coming to take the Phoenix away. He didn't succeed, of course, not with a metal skeleton.

Missy didn't ask Pyro about how he knew who Wolverine was, and Pyro didn't say. She figured if it was that important, someone would tell her eventually. She knew Pyro wouldn't; even if they were make-out buddies or whatever, she suffered no delusions.

Pyro wasn't her friend. He never would be her friend, and to be honest, she didn't much care. Missy didn't want to be his friend. He was a liar and an egotistical bastard.

Dart was better for her.

He cared, he really did. No matter how annoying he was, or what cigarettes he smoked, he cared about her.

Even if Pyro cared, Missy didn't care about him. He was just a hormonal teenager, and nothing about hormonal teenagers was worth caring about. Around him, she was a hormonal teenager, and it annoyed her when she thought about it later on.

But while she was around him, it felt fucking fabulous. Almost as fabulous as doing a back handspring without the hands, or running off of a cruise ship into the Pacific.

And she didn't like to think about how she had acted while they kissed, running her hands through his hair and down his neck while he pushed her against a tree.

Looking out the hole in the back of her tent, Missy was disgusted at herself.

She'd give anything to be able to rip her fingernails through his scalp and not give a damn when he bled to death, but fuck it all, she knew she'd hate herself for the deprivation of a frustration vent. Because no matter how much she swore and acted like a bitch, kissing Pyro was like being resurrected. Or reaching Nirvana.

_Not like I know choke about Nirvana. O resurrection._

Though it had been a little like a reawakening when she'd gained her powers. She'd felt like a new person inside, though the process took a lot less than forty days.

More like ten seconds, during a tournament. Missy had been doing a routine on a balance beam, and suddenly did things she'd never done before without a single slip.

She'd gotten all 10's, but that didn't matter. She quit the team and spent her time running around in the woods, up and down palm trees and sand dunes.

And she was still running through the trees. Or slithering through them, like Pyro had said.

Missy swore again. She bunched her hands in her hair, angry at herself.

Pyro was right— him saying her name, sighing it, moaning it, got to her. She felt so alive with him holding her, trembling against her while she trembled against him.

And they hadn't even _done_ anything. Just... kissed.

Missy rolled her eyes. She was getting ahead of herself. She'd felt the same during that balance beam routine, the first time she'd used her mutation. First times felt like this, if it was a good first time.

Winning poker, too.

And jumping off that cruise ship...

_Das _real_ Nirvana._

---

After Dart heard about the Wolverine coming to take the Phoenix away, he went to see Bravo.

"I mean, he must be from the X-men. Who else has names like we do?"

"The Omegas did, before they joined us."

"Yeah, but the Phoenix came from the X-men, remember?"

"What?"

"Yeah, she used to be with them. Didn't you know?"

Dart didn't know, and didn't want to know, either. He left Anne to the book she was borrowing from Griffin Fox and jogged to Cat's tent. He slowed a few feet away, not extremely surprised to hear her humming.

"Cat?"

The humming stopped. "What do you want?"

"You okay?"

"Whatever."

"That's not really an answer." Cat laughed as he opened her tent door and grinned at her. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"You seem cheerful."

She raised an eyebrow. "That's a problem?"

"No, just... different. You're usually such a bitch."

"Geez, Dart." Cat sat cross-legged, barefoot, and she stretched her arms, wincing only slightly.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Not really."

"And you're sure you don't have healing powers?"

She laughed, and the sound was music to Dart's ears.

"What's so funny?"

It was Pyro, and Dart twisted around to look at him. "Your face," Dart said, sour. Cat snorted, and Dart held back another biting comment when he saw her genuine smile. "I'll just, uh... go."

Cat reached out and squeezed his hand, smiling. "Later."

He smiled back at her and scooted out of her tent. When he stood up, he looked up at Pyro briefly. Pyro nodded almost imperceptibly, and Dart humphed in reply.

_I don't think we meant for them to actually get along._

Dart was feeling, strangely, lonely.

---

Pyro clambered into her tent, almost awkward. Missy backed up to make room for him, but when he sat cross-legged like her, his knees rested on top of hers. She pulled her knees up so hers were resting on his.

"Yo."

Missy raised her eyebrows. "Didn't I tell you not to 'yo' me, Fireboy?"

"Did you? Oh yeah." Pyro smirked. "Sorry, I forgot."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"I don't believe you.

Pyro leaned closer in a conspiratory way. "Neither do I." And then he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and she smiled darkly.

"You sure you wanna do that?"

He ran his fingers down the bumps of her spine until he hit her lower back and she arched up against him; he ran his hand along to her stomach and inched upwards. She pressed her hands against his chest and pulled him closer. He smiled, and when he opened his mouth, his lips brushed hers.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

Pyro moved back, teasing, but then Missy's eyes burned and she pulled herself to him, and then a moan escaped him as her hands moved down while his moved up.

His fingers brushed against her Buddha.

_Nirvana_.


	9. Games

So X-men are all © Marvel, the whole movie bit © Fox studios, that sort of thing.

The plot and all the original characters (including but not limited to Cat-Missy, Perry 'Dart' Jephson, Anne 'Bravo' Schönberg, Ian 'Drac' Rey, and Nazeela 'Shiva' Hena) belong to me and me only.

_Note_: As far as the date in here being 24 Jun 07, chapters 1-8 took place from 13-15 Jun. So this is a week and a half after last chapter.

Read, enjoy, drink cocoa, review, roast marshmellows, enjoy the snow if you have it, make snow/sand angels. Review again. Give me your cocoa. Put cinnamon in it first. Cheers.

* * *

**24 Jun 2007**

_Bastard._

Dart kicked one of the sticks in the campfire and it flared up.

_Pissed like I am._

Magneto had sent a group on what Bravo called field trips to destroy cure centers in major cities. Callisto had gone to Los Angeles, planted a bomb, and returned in less than three hours. Someone named Avalanche had gone to Texas and caused an earthquake that swallowed the entire cure station.

Bravo's personal favorite was the guy who belched fire— he'd gone to a small clinic in Honolulu, lucky bastard, and walked up to the people giving the cure out and burped in their faces.

And then of course Pyro had gone to New York City.

And Cat went with him.

And Dart was royally pissed.

There was no plausible reason for her to go. She didn't have any destructive powers, she couldn't stop herself from being cured. As much as Dart didn't want to admit it, Cat really was only good for night watch.

She didn't belong in New York City. She didn't belong with Pyro.

Dart didn't feel the least bit selfish when he told Bravo after they'd left that she belonged with him, with her little brother, with her friend, not her fuck-buddy.

Anne told him not to swear, and that once he met someone he'd understand the whole thing.

But Dart didn't think he'd understand even then. He couldn't believe Pyro was 'someone' to Cat. He was regretting ever helping set them up.

Evaline was still in a bit of a glow about it, laughing at her brother and Dart in their sulks and telling them how unromantic they were and how wonderful the outcome was for everyone.

Privately, Dart and Ian Rey cursed Evaline to the seven hells and prayed for Pyro's sudden death. It didn't come.

"This sucks," he muttered.

He kicked at the fire again before sitting down on the log where he'd met the twins, and Griffin Fox, and Pyro when he wasn't being abusive.

Dart rubbed his wrists and narrowed his black eyes. He shot himself in each foot and immediately collapsed, eyes rolled back in his head.

_Not feeling is better than feeling like a piece of shit._

---

_13:14_

Dart and I don't understand why Mags let Cat-Missy go with Pyro to New York. It's not like she'll keep him focused or anything.

And I'd be a liar if I said she was good for anything except watch and shit like that.

Speaking of shit, I've noticed everyone has started swearing more. This is like _Lord of the Flies_ or something like that where we start of civilized and then end up stabbing each other with sticks.

I wouldn't mind stabbing Pyro with a stick, really.

And that's still not just my hormones talking.

_13:19_

—_Ian Rey._

---

Pyro ran up the stairs to get to the hotel room. He hadn't felt so alive since September, when he'd become Pyro at Bobby Drake's house.

He caught his breath and pulled his sleeves over his igniters. He quenched the mania in his expression to leave him looking joyful before he opened the door to the hallway and walked with more gusto than usual to the room.

He slid the keycard in and opened the door, expecting Missy to be watching the TV. Instead he heard the shower running and sucked in a breath when he saw her clothes leading a trail from the big window to the bathroom.

Soft ballet flats.

Fishnet gloves.

Her low-cut, flowing shirt.

The cropped pants.

A skin-tone bra.

Matching lacy underwear.

The door to the bathroom was open and he looked inside, shocked to see her Buddha charm on the counter, next to the sink. He reached in, grabbed its gold chain, and ran to jump on one of the queen-sized beds and turn on the television.

It was already on a news channel and he laughed as a view from a helicopter showed the destroyed station.

The shower stopped and two seconds later Missy gave a stifled scream before the bathroom door flung completely open.

She was breathing heavily and had a wild, lost look in her eyes; he finally understood what Dart had meant when he said they all were lost.

"Where's my Buddha?"

Pyro couldn't answer. He had the necklace in his fist but he was staring at her, at the way her wet black hair clung to her slender neck and her slim, muscular legs— god, why did she wear loose pants— and the white towel she held closed between her breasts.

_God is she sexy._

"Pyro!"

She was right in front of him, looking clean and fresh and so _lost_, and she reached out with one hand, grabbed his shirt and gave it a yank. "Pyro, tell me!"

"I have it, stop spazzing."

"Give it to me!" He hesitated and she yanked again. "_Give it to me_."

Pyro opened his fist and she let go of him and snatched her necklace. Missy started to back away but he grabbed the bottom of her towel. She tried to pry it away but he wouldn't let go.

"Let me go, _John_."

Pyro smiled slightly. "Say that again."

"Let me go!"

"Say my name again, Cat-Missy, or I won't let go."

"You don't know _choke_!"

"Say it."

Missy dug her nails into the back of his hand but he ignored the pinching pain; he'd felt worse when he'd wrestled with Bobby Drake before Rogue happened.

"Say it again."

"No!"

She yanked at the towel but it still wouldn't come free. She growled at him, and he frowned and loosened his grip. She turned to walk away but then he grabbed the towel and it came out of her weakened grasp.

_Gotcha_.

Missy spun back and lunged at him, trying to get the towel back. She still held part of it over herself, but John had a look in his eyes that told her he wasn't letting her have it back.

A shudder ran through her and struggled to suppress his own. To shudder and tear the towel off her and kiss her senseless. And make her shudder from more than just the look in his eyes.

He stared her in the eyes and lay a hand flat on her bare back, half relieved and half furious that he could only see her face and neck and upper chest from his spot beneath her. He lightly traced designs with his fingertips and smiled when she clenched her jaw.

"Stop it."

"Absolutely not." He leaned up and kissed her, hard, and she smiled into the kiss before ramming her knee up into his crotch. His eyes rolled back in his head but he only clutched the towel tighter in his agony.

When he felt her gently peeling his fingers back, he focused on her and she sneered at him. "Gotcha, Fireboy."

"Say it again," he said. But she didn't.

He still let her peel his fingers away from her towel and made no attempt to hide his eager gaze in case the towel slipped while she wrapped it around herself. She fled into the bathroom.

"I did it," he called to her. "It's gone."

"I don't care," was the answer.

Pyro stood up and gathered Missy's clothes before going back to the bed and kicking off his shoes and socks and jacket and igniters. He took her shirt and laid it out flat on his stomach.

He held himself, pretended he was holding her, too, pretended the line of clothes had been dropped as she approached him and that she didn't care about anything except him.

He closed his eyes.

_How many more days until Nirvana?_

---

Missy sat in the shower, the curtain drawn. She was naked except for her Buddha and the towel hanging limp on her back. She'd been drying her hair but gave up when her mind started wandering.

Pyro was scaring her. She didn't know how or why she was with him in New York— she'd never been to New York and had no interest in ever returning.

The X-men worked out of a New York suburb, and Missy had no intention of ever going anywhere near that metal-boned wild man ever again.

_Ever._

She couldn't see outside, but she knew it would get dark soon. She sighed and rubbed her forehead.

Pyro wanting her to call him John frightened her. She didn't know why. She loved the freedom she'd had when they'd been back at the camp; she thought they'd only been kissing for the physical release, but now she wasn't so sure.

Saying his name, even sarcastically, made Missy wonder who he was, or who he had been. She'd learned enough about Dart to know he was from Washington state, he had been living in the sewers of New York and Seattle with Bravo and her friends for more than a year before they joined the Brotherhood, and he cared more about his new surrogate family than he did about his real family.

But she knew nothing about Pyro.

Knowing she was completely ignorant of the factors at play scared her. Being in New York City scared her. Pyro so desperate to see her scared her.

And she was curled in around herself in a four-star hotel bathroom shower.

She was scared and wet and getting cold.

She stood up and heard him breathing, realized he was awake.

She peeked out of the door to get her clothes but didn't see them; she poked her head out and saw them surrounding Pyro. She grabbed the towel and wrapped it around herself again.

Pyro glanced up and grinned at Missy as she stalked towards him.

"Yo," he said.

She clenched her teeth and sighed again.

---

Nazeela was playing a game of catch with Quill.

"So do you have any other names besides Quill?"

"Not really. Maxwell's what my parents named me." Nazeela grinned. "No one called me that, they called me Max."

"I figured. Where're you from?"

"Taipei."

"Is that in China?"

"No, Taiwan."

"Oh."

Quill didn't toss the ball back to her immediately. "You're a student?"

"Starting college in the fall, hopefully."

"Where?"

"Chicago. With Fish, if you know him."

"He's the Jew, right?"

That stung. "Yes. Why?"

"He's the only one around."

"I thought Magneto was Jewish."

"He has a tattoo from the thing, yeah." Quill shrugged and looped the ball over to Nazeela. "I dunno if he's Jewish, though. Could just be gay," he snickered.

"That's not funny." Nazeela dropped the ball and left, annoyed.

_What is it with boys? They're such assholes._

_«Not all of them.»_

Nazeela flinched and spun. She saw Jean Grey's coat spread out on the ground behind a big, branching tree and walked towards her.

"I know that not all of them are bad," she started. She paused; she had no idea what to say to this woman.

_«Your friend Mark is good for you.»_

Nazeela saw the Phoenix sitting with her legs tucked under her, tearing gently at a leaf. Her red hair hid her face and as Nazeela circled in front of her, she saw that her hands weren't touching the leaf.

"Is— is it easier to do that with your mind?"

_«No.»_

"Why do you do it?" She waited, but there was no answer. Nazeela knelt in front of Jean Grey and cautiously reached out. When her fingers brushed the back of Jean's hand, the Phoenix gripped Nazeela's hand.

_«Kill me.»_

"What? No, no. I can't do that."

"Please," Jean whispered. "Kill me."

Nazeela couldn't move, but she felt the Phoenix in her mind, urging, begging, _screaming_ for release.

"I— I can't." Nazeela pulled her hand free and clutched the woman by the shoulders. "Why do you want to die? You're surrounded by friends- by people who need you."

_«My only friend here isn't here anymore.»_

A series of images— a film short— passed through Nazeela's mind. A click-fwoosh-snap, a snide response, a string of swears at the thought of detention.

Burning police cars and a fire suddenly flaring up.

_Pyro._

Nazeela only knew the fire addict by sight. From what he'd "Why is _he_ your friend?"

"From before."

"Oh. Like— like that healer?"

"Logan."

"Wolverine," Nazeela added. "And there were others, right, Storm and the Professor— but he's dead, isn't he? He died?"

_«Yes.»_

"Why don't you talk? You have something to say, say it." Nazeela stood up. "You should maybe keep a journal. Maybe it will help you."

_«Come back here, later.»_

"Okay." Nazeela backed away before skipping off back to Quill.

He was still playing catch, though now with the girl with purple hair, Psylocke.

"Calling Magneto gay still's not funny," Nazeela said to him. Psylocke tossed her the ball and looked over at Quill with a slanting grin. "But I think I can deal with it now."

---

"Why do you have to be such a lolo."

"What the fuck is a lolo? You keep saying that. Is it some Japanese slang?"

"Not Japanese, birdbrain."

"Then what is it?"

Pyro still had a death grip on her shirt and his hand was curled around her underwear and bra, too. She was standing at the end of the bed with her arms crossed.

"You're a bastard."

"Don't I know it."

"Give me my clothes."

"No." Pyro smiled at her and she pounced, but he was ready for her. He let her land on top of him and then rolled them over, pinning her to the bed. "You're sexy when you're wet and in a towel."

Missy's mouth dropped open and she slapped him. Hard.

Pyro laughed and she flushed and curled her hand into a fist. "Ah, don't be like that," he smiled. He opened her fist and took her hand, spreading the fingers. He kissed the middle of her palm like he'd kiss her mouth-- hard, demanding-- and she shuddered.

"John," she started.

He smiled against her hand and kissed up the inside of her arm to her shoulder. Her hands fisted in his hair and she pulled him to her face. He turned his head at the last second and she growled.

"Wait," he said. She narrowed her eyes at him and tightened her fingers in his hair as he propped himself up on his elbows. "I need to know something."

"What?"

"Why are you here?"

"I thought you could tell me."

"You mean no one told you?"

"Why da hell would anybody go'n tell me why? You da one who Magneto trusts."

"You don't think he trusts all of us?"

Missy laughed. "Any leader who trusts all their followers is lolo."

"There you go with that lolo shit again." She snarled at him and tried to buck him off. "Hey, hey." He pressed his forehead to hers. "All I know is that Magneto told me that you were coming with me. He had that ventriloquist lady—"

"Bravo."

"Bravo called us to his office and he told us where we were going. He told me first and then mentioned later that you were coming."

"And he didn't say why?"

"There wasn't any time to ask him."

Missy frowned at him. "I can't be here because I can blow up buildings," she said. Her voice was flat, and a burst of something like righteous indignation flared in him. "It might be in case the X-men stopped you." She peeked at him from under her eyelids. "They're near here, aren't they?"

"Yeah."

"So if they got you, I could go back and warn the others," she reasoned. "But why me? Why not Dart o Callisto—"

"Magneto knows Callisto's too obsessed with me to get anything done." He laughed at the look on Missy's face. "But I couldn't give a shit about her."

"Good." She leaned up, kissed him, and shoved him off of her. "Go away."

He rolled over to the other side of the queen-sized bed and grabbed her hand on the way. "Look."

They both watched as Magneto spoke to America and grinned at each other. Pyro squeezed her hand.

"Let the games begin."


	10. Morfeo

So X-men are all © Marvel, the whole movie bit © Fox studios, that sort of thing.

The plot and all the original characters (including but not limited to Cat-Missy, Perry 'Dart' Jephson, Ian 'Drac' Rey, and Nazeela 'Shiva' Hena) belong to me and me only.

_Note_: This is a continuation of the same day from last chapter.

_Also note:_ Giroux is pronounced "dji-ROH".

Read, enjoy, drink cocoa, review, roast marshmellows, enjoy the snow if you have it, make snow/sand angels. Review again. Give me your cocoa. Put cinnamon in it first. Cheers.

* * *

"Yo, Morfeo, hook me up with some of that dope of yours." 

"Get a life."

"Get a pair of balls!"

"Fuck off, Petros, I don't have time for this shit." Morfeo took a miniature matchbook out of his Converse hi-tops and struck up a match.

"It's Avalanche, Giraffe."

"Giraffe? What the fuck, man, it's Giroux." The match burned down to Morfeo's fingertips before he dropped it and put it out with his heel.

Avalanche snorted and ran his hand through his brown hair. "Got it, gee-roo."

"You know what? Fuck off."

"Will do." Avalanche sauntered off, flicking his hand behind him. Morfeo tumbled when the ground shuddered, cursing.

"Bastard!" Morfeo bared his teeth at Avalanche's back and pulled out his cigarette pack from his pocket.

_Needs a kick to the balls._

Morfeo lit his cigarette and took a drag, eyeing the woods as he trampled up a hill. He stopped when the wind sent a whiff of burnt rubber his way.

"Pyro," he muttered, and rolled his eyes. He understood why the guy was in love with fire, but no one could convince him burnt rubber was a nice smell. He followed the smell to the top of the hill and wrinkled his nose.

_He should get some incense._

"This place smells like shit," he said.

"That's no lie."

Morfeo took another drag from his cigarette, and glanced to his right. He recognized Ian Rey approaching, fiddling with his biker's gloves. "Hey, Drac. Sup?"

"Nothin', really. Ah was wond'rin' whether ya wanted ta lend me a smoke."

"What, Fox is out?"

"Yeah."

"I don't have any you like, but I can give you a kick." Ian shrugged. "Whatever, then."

"Whassat?"

Morfeo followed Ian's gaze to a tarp-covered box nestled in the roots of a nearby tree. "Dunno." Ian crouched by the box and untied the rope holding it together. "You sure you wanna do that?"

"Aw, Fireboy ain't here. He won' know, less ya tellim." Morfeo rolled his eyes and pulled the cigarette from his mouth as Ian fumbled with the knot. When it came undone, Ian pulled away the tarp and peered inside, Morfeo looking in over his head.

"Holy shit."

Ian reached in and pulled out an open notebook. "The fuck?" He glanced at Morfeo, who was grinning as he took another drag.

"He's a writer, man. Aren't you?"

"In a journal, yeah. Not a book."

"People've published their journals before."

Ian snorted. "This is— this— this is crazy, though. He's using our names. Fer— Ah dunno what fer."

"For a good time?" Morfeo paused. "Didn't mean that. Everyone's got their thing." He held his cigarette between his teeth and took the notebook from Ian. "And he doesn't really use your name, anyway."

"Ah'm still not happy," Ian muttered.

Morfeo snorted and flipped back through the earlier pages, shaking his hair from his eyes again. "You better keep that to yourself. Look, he mentions that catty girl, you know her, don't you? 'Turning the corner, a wild-eyed girl ran into him. She pushed him aside and leapt straight over the railing to the floor below—' that can't mean anyone else."

"Ah bet it doesn'. First tahme he met her she pounced on him after pickin' on that kid."

"The little one?"

"Yeah."

"Serves him right, pickin' on that kid."

Morfeo ran his eyes across a line and his eyes widened. "Shit."

"What?"

"He talks about the X-men like he knows them." Ian snatched the book from Morfeo and choked on his words.

"He's from the X-men," he whispered. "What the fuck we gonna do?"

"Do? Whaddya mean, do? We can't do anything. Magneto knows, I'm sure."

"How d'ya know that?"

"That Phoenix lady's a psychic, dumbass."

"She's from tha X-men herself, why'd she give him away?"

"She's no spy," Morfeo said. He took back the notebook and put it back in the box. "And Pyro's not either. Hell, he's more into this freedom bid than most of us."

"An' that makes it okay?" Ian moved away, breathing harder than usual. "Ah mean, he don't tell us—"

"Yeah, would you tell? Use your brain, Drac, if you even have one. Phoenix doesn't go around advocating where she's from."

"Ah s'pose." Ian shifted his weight on his feet as Morfeo tied the box back up in its tarp. "Y'all gonna tell anyone?"

"Tell them what? Bout Pyro?"

"Yeah."

"Not worth it. You might tell your sister, hell I'm sure she'd love to know, but don't tell the whole world." Morfeo tossed his cigarette on the ground and ground it out with his heel. "And whatever you do, don't tell her friend, okay?"

"Whose friend?"

"The kid. The catty girl, you know."

"Why naht?"

"Haven't you seen her lately? She's a completely different person. She's not a complete bitch anymore."

Ian snorted and looked away. "She's weird. Did ya know her name's Missy?" Morfeo laughed.

"I don't really know her at all. Her friend stuck me with a dart once, though he'd've thought I deserved it. You were there, with your sister and Fox."

"Oh, rahght, the PMS guy."

"That sounds like the UPS guy, to be honest."

Ian snorted again. "If Ah was really bein' honest, Ah'd say Ah'd love to tell Cat-Missy bout Pyro."

"Hey, if telling her meant I'd get myself a piece of her, I'd to it, too. But do that and you might have your eyes gouged out."

"Ah figgered as much. Least there's other chicks out there."

"So they say."

---

"I need real food, what do you want me to say?"

Pyro leaned against the wall by the bathroom door, amused. He was sick of eating the food from camp, and he didn't understand how she wasn't.

"Why don't you go get take-out, then? You can go by yourself."

"Yeah, right, and get abducted? I don't think so."

"You can't take care of yourself? You're the big bad wolf, Fireboy," Missy laughed. "You're Magneto's confidante— what do you mean, get abducted?"

"Fine, we just won't eat." He pushed off the wall.

_Three._

_Two._

_One—_

The bathroom door swung open and Missy came out, looking decidedly stormy. "Fine," she said. "We can go out."

"Great. Here, put this on, we're going somewhere nicer than what you're wearing."

"Where are we going?"

"Magneto made us reservations for six-thirty at some place. And Dr.— the Phoenix gave me this for you."

Missy looked at the dark red sundress with raised eyebrows. "Fine." She took the dress back with her to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

He sighed, relieved and amused she bought his story.

_Riiight. Dr. Grey helping set me up with someone— that's rich._

He pulled off his brown t-shirt and black trousers and into a light blue dress shirt and jeans. He was zipping the fly when Missy came out of the bathroom, looking more uncomfortable than he'd ever seen her in the red dress.

"This don't fit right," she muttered. When she met his eye, she smirked and quickly looked away.

"What?" He looked down at himself and back up at her. "What?"

"You look weird."

"Yeah, well. Does that bother you?"

"Bodda me? No. It's just, y'know, different." She looked down at her dress, frowning. "This doesn't fit."

"No, it does," Pyro said. "It looks good."

_It looks great._

She pulled on her flats and ran her hand up to her Buddha necklace before shaking her hair out of her face. "We going?"

"What? Yeah. Let's go." Pyro followed her to the door but stopped her before she opened it. "Call me John, right?"

"I'm not lolo, Pyro." She opened the door. "So don't assume I'm gonna do dumb things."

"Whatever."

He followed her out and they took the elevators down to the ground level. When a woman came on with a small girl in a carriage the floor below them, Missy pushed herself against the wall. John moved back and touched her elbow; she relaxed slightly until they reached the bottom floor where she led him through the lobby outside.

"Why're you so tense?" he asked.

She shrugged and readjusted her dress. "Never really liked people much."

"You never have problems back at the— back home."

Missy raised her eyebrows at him. "Just a'cause you never noticed it don't mean it's not dere."

"I suppose." He grabbed her hand and led her down the street. "The subway's this way."

---

Dart woke up with his head spinning, and when he opened his eyes he almost jumped out of his skin.

"Shit!"

Evaline Rey was hovering over him, a little too close for comfort. "Sahrry, li'l man," she said. "Ah was worried."

"Right." He sat up and pressed his forehead against his hands.

"Whadja do that fahr, Dart?"

"Felt like shit."

"Because of Cat?" Dart didn't answer. "Ah thought so." Evaline played with the collar of her shirt. "Ah'm sorry bout her. It's kinda mah fault."

"It's mine, too."

Evaline watched closely as he climbed over the log-bench. "Ah nevah thaught they'd actually get along, ya know?"

"Mm." Dart pulled the two shots out of his feet and tossed them into the bonfire. "Maybe the X-men'll get him in New York. That's where they're from, right?"

"Yeah." She looked uncomfortable. "She's more likely ta be caught, t'be honest."

"To be honest, they'd never think she was a mutant."

"What about that Wolverine guy?"

The two of them were silent.

"You think he's recovered from what Magneto gave him?"

"That was two weeks ago, Dart. And Shiva said he was a healer."

Dart looked away. "They better not get her."

Evaline laughed. "They won't. And if they do, we'll jus' go getter back. They don' believe in killin' people for the greater good."

"Nothing gets done without people dying," Dart muttered. "S'why Magneto's right."

"Ya thank so?" Evaline smiled sideways at him. "Ah thank he jus' undastands tha majarity bettah. The X-men think they're so haigh 'n maighty."

"Aren't we, too?"

"Naught quite lahke the X-men. Y'all don't see us in leathah jumpsuits."

Dart burst out laughing. "Are they for real?"

"They thank they are, which is the sad pahrt."

---

Morfeo watched Ian Rey wander off back to his sister before turning back to Pyro's box of stuff. He took out a smoke and put it in his mouth, but didn't light it.

_Might get on his stuff. Not like he'd notice._

He untied the rope around the tarp and pulled out Pyro's notebook again. He glanced around, saw nothing nor no one else, sat down next to a tree. Morfeo opened the book to the first page but didn't read it yet, just looked at the neat scrawl connected in a convoluted script.

_«Shut that book.»_

"Ahch!"

He grabbed his head; the woman's voice in his head piercing.

_«Shut it. Now.»_

The book fell from his lap and he rocked back and forth. His toes curled in his converses; the joints ached and he felt his bones creaking as his eyes squeezed shut.

_Stop... Can't breathe..._

His eyes flew open and his skin rippled before shreds of his pants unraveled and disappeared.

"Jean!"

His knees were going; there ought to be pain but there wasn't; Morfeo couldn't scream.

"Jean, stop it!"

"Nazeela..."

He opened his eyes and saw his body gone, in patches; with a rush of gratitude he saw Nazeela Hena grab the Phoenix.

_Too late, Naz._

_At least you tried._

---

The subway was busy, and John might have minded if it didn't mean Missy was pressed against him, desperate to stay away from everyone else. He was leaning against a pole with one hand curled around it and the other hand wrapped around Missy's.

"Act natural," he said to her in a low voice. "They're not going to hurt you."

"How d'you know?" she shot back, but she loosened her grip on his hand. "Are we getting off soon?"

"Yeah, just two stops."

She leaned against the pole and huffed. "We couldn't've walked?"

"No, we'd be late. You were being difficult, or we mighta."

"Hmm."

---

The sudden rip of Morfeo's powers from her conscious made Nazeela cry out; never had someone in her range so utterly disappeared.

_Usually they fade. Does that mean he's gone? Shit, he's gone. He dead._

"Why won't you kill me?"

Nazeela looked back at the Phoenix, shocked at the detatchment in her voice. "Because killing is wrong."

"So it's okay for me to do it? Don't you understand this won't be the last time?" Jean Grey grabbed Nazeela's shoulders, her eyes blackened and her red hair wild around her shoulders

"You can't know what you're doing! You care about people, you're human—"

"I'm human, what's human? Just a diagnosis. A malady!"

"A pinnacle in evolution!"

"Do you mean human, or mutant?"

Nazeela floundered long enough for Jean to turn away.

"This book, get rid of it." Jean tossed a small notebook at Nazeela, who caught it awkwardly.

"You." Nazeela tossed it back but it stopped in midair and flung itself back at her.

"You don't care about how he thinks of you."

Nazeela had nothing to say to that, and so she let the Phoenix walk away, head high, eyes black.

_Murderer._

---


	11. Catch

So X-men are all © Marvel, the whole movie bit © Fox studios, that sort of thing.

The plot and all the original characters (including but not limited to Cat-Missy, Perry 'Dart' Jephson, Ian 'Drac' Rey, and Nazeela 'Shiva' Hena) belong to me and me only.

_Note_: This is a continuation of the same day from last chapter.

_Also note:_ Higher rating on the very end of the chapter. Just so you know. But I mean, this is a T rated story, so you should just keep the small children away anyways.

_Note 3_: If anyone was interested on what Morfeo's powers were, he could give people this effect called pipedream, which is basically making them high, uncoordinated, that sort of thing. So yeah, he'll be sorely missed, in my opinion.

Read, enjoy, drink cocoa, review, roast marshmellows, enjoy the snow if you have it, make snow/sand angels. Review again. Give me your cocoa. Put cinnamon in it first. Cheers.

* * *

"We have a reservation for two," John said. "For six-thirty." 

"Name, please?" The host glanced at Missy and his eyes widened slightly at the hostile look she was shooting around the restaurant.

"Magda."

"Ah, yes." The host took up two menus from under his podium and led them behind a short wall to where a few dozen round tables were squished together between a perimeter of benched tables attached to the wall. He had them sit at a table against the wall.

Missy pushed John away to get the seat facing the door. The host left and John rolled his eyes as he opened his menu.

"Don't trust me to keep an eye on the door?"

She sneered at him. "No, _John_. Not really." She tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced at the wine menu. "Besides, your reflexes aren't fast enough to do anything about it even if someone did come in."

"That is _not_ true."

"You couldn' even catch your lighter! You dodge a bullet?"

"You can?"

Missy tossed her head. "Ya. How much money do we have?"

"Why?" She shrugged. "He gave me a credit card."

"Gave, or lent?"

"Gave. The money's mine, so we've got enough if you wanna get a glass of wine."

"I was thinking more like a bottle of wine." At John's raised eyebrow, she added, "Where I come from, wine isn't a luxury."

"Like Northern California?"

"No."

"Greece?"

"Ew, no. That's where Ava—" She paused.

John nodded. "I know who you mean. His name's Dominic."

"Dominic. Funny name. But he is Greek, I guess. To da max."

"What?"

"He's very Greek." She lifted her menu again while a waiter came and gave each of them a cup of ice water with lemon. When the waiter left, she turned the page. "Dominic's sexy."

John coughed on his water. He glared up at her, not really surprised to see her cracking up silently.

"You so lolo."

He composed himself, slightly red in the face, and kicked her under the table. She glared at him but looked back at her menu.

Under the table, her foot found his ankle and slid slowly up his leg to his knee and his eyes widened. Then she jabbed her toes right below his kneecap and he jerked.

"You..."

"What you gonna do, huh?" she teased. Her brown eyes twinkled. "Gonna fight me?"

"Yeah, you'll lose this time, Missy."

Her smile dropped. "My name's Cat."

"It wasn't after that first time."

"Yes it was. It's always been Cat." She let go of her menu and it fell on the table. She clenched her hands together on top of it. "My name's Cat."

"I don't give a shit," he said quietly. "You're Missy to me."

She leaned in closer, almost bent over the table. "People aren't gonna recognize Cat. They'll recognize your name. That's the only reason I'm calling you John. You know that."

"No, I don't." He remembered a term, felt mean. "Would you rather I call you Sheila?"

She glared at him and stood up, walked to the front of the restaurant, glared back at him, and left.

John looked around, saw the host frowning at him, jumped up and followed Missy out. "Thanks, mate," he shot at the sputtering host, and the door closed on any protests he might have had.

He looked around for Missy, but didn't see the red dress.

_Fuckfuckfuck._

---

_18:45_

Something happened to Morfeo, and I'm sure it had to do with Fireboy's book. It's not there anymore, is all I'm saying.

I'm scared shitless, to be honest. Nazeela was wicked jumpy. That usually means something bad.

_18:47_

—_Ian Rey._

---

Nazeela Hena had no fears for her health, not from Jean or Magneto.

Jean still wanted Naz to kill her, and Magneto thought she was too valuable to lose.

So she was tucked away in the tent she shared with Mark, reading Pyro's book. His journal, his novel, his thoughts. It wasn't hard for her to imagine how he felt.

_Really messy means tired. Really neat means bored. Angry— choppy sentences_.

Most of it was a storyline, a convoluted version of what was happening in the camp. He used mostly real names of people; how he knew everyone's name surprised her. She barely knew anyone, even though everyone seemed to know her.

_Mark I know. I know Dart, and Jean. Max— or Quill, rather. It's Quill. That's it._

Sometimes she came across a section written in the first person, with more direct language. She was surprised to read in one of these sections how he thought it was funny that Cat jumped him, and then later how he didn't know why he kissed her in the fire.

Didn't know why he helped her when Spike shot a bone in her side.

Naz knew why.

_Boys like Pyro need a damsel in distress, even if they have to force her into thinking she needs them back_.

As far as she was concerned, Pyro— _John_— was using Cat.

_Wrong wrong wrong._

"Women aren't toys." She closed his book and lay does on her sleeping bag, stuffing the book in a sweatshirt and sticking the sweatshirt under her head as a pillow.

_Pyro's missing something._

----

He was missing Missy, as a matter of fact, and he was pissed off.

He wandered a few feet left, then noticed a fire escape a few buildings down. He looked up.

Cat-Missy looked down, smirking.

"Come down."

She crossed to the unextended ladder and looked at it before rolling her eyes and swinging over the railing and jumping down. She held down her dress but he still caught a glimpse of her underwear before she landed in a crouch.

People passing by gave her weird looks but she didn't seem to care until she straightened up, when she snarled at a passing businessman.

John grabbed her around the waist and led her away. "I didn't mean like _that_, Cat. We're trying to keep people from noticing I'm that guy."

She snorted. "You lolo if you tink dey gonna recognize you like dat."

"Why? Am I sexier like this?"

"I wouldn't use _that_ word, exactly. More like, I dunno, less wild."

"You'd be surprised." He nuzzled her neck, feeling generous. "I'm still pretty wild."

She smiled slyly at him. "You keep telling yourself that, John."

"Oh, I don't need to, Cat."

"It's Missy."

He squeezed her waist, fingers dancing around low on her stomach. "Excellent."

---

Dart and Fish were tossing Quill's ball back and forth.

"So, little man, what's up?"

"Why does everyone call me that?"

"Dart, you're the smallest person here. Someone needs to get picked on for size."

"Right." He sighed and threw the ball back at Fish, aiming for his face. "I can't help being short."

"Nothing wrong with being vertically challenged," Fish said. He grinned. "Hell, some girls like short guys."

"Ha ha ha."

---

Evaline grinned as she watched Dart and Fish.

"They're good gahs."

_No matter what the rest of the world thinks about us._

She picked up a fallen branch and lifted up into the air, looking for her brother.

She found him a little while later, sitting against a tree with his journal. "Ian!"

He looked up at her, bored. "What?"

"Just bored. Dart's playin' catch wi' Fish." Ian grinned. "What're y' doin'?"

Ian lifted his journal and pen. "Writin'." He looked down and jabbed his pen in the cover. "Wonder what Cat-Missy's doin'."

"Don't," Evaline suggested. "Ah'm gonna go join Dart an' Fish. Wanna come?" Ian shook his head. She shrugged. "Y'all bettah watch yaself, Ian Rey, 'fore ya go all emo on meh."

"Ah'm not _emo_, Eva."

"Jus' bitter?"

Ian shrugged. "Anxious. Ah wanna end this war already." He stood up, stretched, put his journal in his pants pocket. "But wha' c'n ya do, righ'?"

"Exactly."

---

John slid the keycard into the door and Missy brushed past him inside. He leaned against the back of the door, it clicked shut, and there was no time to blink before she was gripping his shirt and kissing him.

He clutched her hips and bunched up her dress as she moved down his neck. She nipped at his collarbone and he hissed. Jon dug his fingers into her thighs and she kissed him again, unbuttoning his blue dress shirt without hesitation until he pulled his mouth from hers and pushed her hair away with his nose to kiss behind her ear.

"John," she sighed.

He hitched her dress up to her waist and felt her stomach quake under his fingertips. She pushed his shirt down his arms and their mouths collided again, hot and needy.

_Finally._

_Nirvana._

---


	12. Are you ready?

So X-men are all © Marvel, the whole movie bit © Fox studios, that sort of thing.

The plot and all the original characters (including but not limited to Cat-Missy, Perry 'Dart' Jephson, Anne 'Bravo' Schönberg, Ian 'Drac' Rey, and Nazeela 'Shiva' Hena) belong to me and me only.

_Note_: This takes place about a month after the events of last chapter.

_Note 2_: As always, constructive criticism is highly encouraged.

Read and review! (No pressure.)

PEER PRESSURE!!! Ooooh!!

... Don't mind me.

* * *

_**23 Jul 2007**_

"Cat?"

"What, Dart?"

"It's tomorrow. Are you ready?"

Cat didn't answer. Her bad mood had been coming back for a week and a half, ever since Magneto had started keeping Pyro next to him. Where he belonged, Dart wanted to say, but didn't. For obvious reasons.

"Cat?"

He was sitting on the log near the bonfire with her, eating oatmeal Anne had made even though it was already close to seven at night.

"Of course I'm ready, Dart." She kept her eyes on the fire. "Are you ready?"

Dart laughed. "I'm gonna make those bastards wish they'd never been born, that's what. Nothing gets done without people dying."

"Says who?"

"Says me. Naz says killing isn't right—"

"It's not—"

"But it's necessary," he finished. "There's no other way."

Cat tipped her head to look at him. He couldn't read her expression, but he knew she was trying hard to keep it kind. "You really tink dat?" He nodded. "All de time?" He nodded again. "Den I'm sorry."

She stood up, ruffled his auburn hair, and walked away. She passed Bravo on the other side of the bonfire and Dart frowned when they paused to talk for a moment, glancing at him more than once. He heard Cat say, "Morfeo's here" and a wry laugh in response, but he didn't hear anything else before Cat looked back at him a final time and disappeared between the trees.

"Hi, Dart."

"Hi, Bravo."

Anne dawdled a moment before sitting down were Cat had been. She offered Dart a bottle of soda from the two in her hand. "Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper?" He laughed.

"Dr. Pepper, duh."

Bravo smiled and handed him the Dr. Pepper. "A toast," she said, "to us."

"To victory tomorrow."

"To victory all the time."

"Amen to that." Dart tapped Bravo's Coke bottle with his Dr. Pepper and chugged down most of it. Bravo laughed at him and took a few sips of her own. She paused as Dart's eyes drooped and he yawned. "I'm tired all of a sudden," he murmured.

Anne gently plied Dart's Coke from his relaxed grip. "Don't worry, Dart, it's fine." She poured the Coke out on the ground, tossed the bottle in the fire, and wrapped an arm around her drowsy friend. "It's fine."

Dart's head tipped over onto Anne's shoulder and she nodded towards the trees behind him. Fish and Nazeela came out from behind a nearby tree, more somber than usual, and Fish gently picked up Dart. "Nazeela?"

Nazeela frowned and closed her eyes.

When she opened them, they were black like Dart's.

Black like Jean Grey's.

"Let's go."

---

Missy trailed after the party of four for a few minutes, up in the trees.

They didn't know she was there, of course, but it didn't matter to her. Once they were far enough away from the camp, she turned back.

Magneto wouldn't be happy about Nazeela not being there to help, but Missy knew he couldn't care less about Fish and Dart. She knew he was more practical than that.

_Magneto's no mento. He know da kine mutants dat stay choice do da powaful tings._

"Not like me," she muttered. She scaled a tree near Pyro's tent and sat up on a branch ten feet off the ground.

A few minutes later, she heard Pyro coming and tensed up, smiling until she heard Callisto with him. She circled around the back of the tree as they came into view, watching with a smirk after she caught his eye.

"You ready to get electrocuted, Callisto?"

"Very funny." She frowned. "Why you let that catty girl boss you around, huh?"

"She doesn't boss me around."

"You used to be a lot more open to suggestions, is all I'm saying."

Cat couldn't help laughing, and Callisto appeared at the bottom of her tree in a flash. "Hola."

"You bitch," Callisto said. "You think you're worth something.

Cat jumped down from the tree, landing nimbly on her feet. "I am, das why. Who you to say I'm not?"

Callisto glanced at Pyro, smirking with his arms crossed. "You're a bitch," she said. She zipped away and Cat collapsed in spasms of laughter. Pyro stood over her, and she glanced up once she had composed herself.

"You ready for tomorrow, Missy?"

"Of course." She looked at him accusingly. "Why does everyone think I won't be ready? Dart asked me too."

He laughed at her. "Stop thinking everyone's out to get you."

"I don't think that." She accepted his hand up and shook out her hair. "People don't think I can take care of myself, is all."

"That's not true."

"Is too."

"Not."

Missy huffed. "It is. Ever since..." She looked away. "It don't matta."

"Since when?"

"It don't _matta_, I said." She scaled the tree before he could stop her and looked down at him. "I'll be fine tomorrow."

"Never said you wouldn't be." Missy climbed up, farther away from him. "Come back." She laughed at him. He sighed. "I don't suppose you could—"

"Nope."

"You are a bitch," he called up.

"In yo dreams."

He walked away from the tree and crawled into his tent. He knew she'd be back.

Five minutes later, she was.

---

_19:36_

It's tomorrow.

I think a lot of people are finally realizing we're actually going to do it. I mean, everyone knew— but it's still something, when it's tomorrow.

I'm pumped.

There's going to be a lot of sacrifices— lots of us are going to get hurt. I know they'll use cure bullets, not real bullets; I don't think I'll be shot, though. I'm going to be careful, I'm going to sneak around, I'm going to get the humans from behind.

Nazeela's going to help me out. She says she'll shield me, keep the humans from knowing I'm there until it's too late. Dart's coming with me too— God knows he wants to be in the front, but he's just a kid, you know? He wouldn't be able to handle it, I don't think. He's a little kid; he doesn't know how things go.

I'm only a few years older than he is, to be honest, but I still think he's been less exposed than I have. He's been sheltered, by Bravo, by Cat-Missy. Hell, even Pyro's kept himself on a leash when Dart's been around.

I don't think this fight is the best way for Dart to see the real world.

I think it's for people like Dart, the kids, the young mutants, that we're going to fight, to get rid of the Cure.

I feel kind of bad for the kid they got the cure from. But he's letting them destroy his people. Maybe he doesn't know any better, maybe he doesn't know what they're doing.

But I'd die for mutantkind.

If it meant Dart could grow up never having to worry about sticking someone, it'd be worth it.

I'm ready for tomorrow.

_19:50_

—_Ian Rey._

---

Quill and Psylocke stood towards the back of Magneto's little cave-office.

Magneto had somehow procured a bottle of very high quality wine and he was sharing it with the people in charge.

Or at least the people high up on the Brotherhood food chain.

So the two of them were standing together, like usual, talking under their breath.

"Callisto's so antsy."

"Pyro's not here, that's why. She's obsessed with the kid."

"He's a lot younger than we are, too. At least some of the other kids are being treated their age."

"Who? Shiva?"

"She's cool, for a girl."

"For a girl!" Psylocke slapped his arm.

"I mean, besides you, Betts, duh."

"I hope that's what you meant."

He laughed and tapped one of her short purple pigtails. "You rule, Betsy, you know that." She shrugged, smiling. "Look." He nodded towards the stairs to aboveground and Psylocke raised her eyebrows when she saw the Phoenix with Pyro. "The dream team, huh?"

"Eesh." Half unconsciously, Psylocke slipped her hand into Quill's. "Think she's pissed at Callisto?"

"Why'd she be?"

"She spends time with Pyro, y' know? And Callisto is so... clingy, even when she shouldn't be."

"I hear you."

They watched Callisto make a beeline for Pyro, but not quite fast enough. The Phoenix spoke with Magneto, very briefly, and then Pyro grinned at her, turned back, and went back aboveground. Callisto turned to Quill and Psylocke, who struggled to keep their grins subdued as she came to complain.

"That catty girl got him on a short leash," Callisto said.

"What, the other Japanese one?"

Psylocke pursed her lips at Quill. "Ex-_cuse_ me."

"Sorry, Betts."

"And she's a bitch," Callisto continued. At Quill and Psylocke's looks, she added, "Worse than I can be."

"Oh."

"That says something," Quill agreed. Callisto snorted. "What? I'm just being honest."

"Quill, just shut up."

"Can't I—"

"Just shut up!"

When Psylocke and Callisto spoke together, Quill decided he'd better shut up.

---

Pyro unzipped his tent door and found Missy sitting on his rumpled sleeping bag, wearing one of his shirts. When she only glanced up from the book she had in her lap, he squinted at the design on the shirt.

"I was wearing that when I joined the Brotherhood," he said.

"Mhm."

"What is that?"

"Hm?" She glanced up again, frowning, her hair in front of her face.

"The book. What is it?"

She shrugged. "Nazeela Hena gave it to me, said to read it. She got it from Phoenix. I only started just now." She held it up, and he realized it wasn't actually a book.

It was a notebook with writing in it.

"That's mine," he said. Missy raised her eyebrows and looked down at it.

_God, how much have you read?_

"Why would Nazeela have your notebook? Why would Phoenix have your notebook?"

"I don't know." He swallowed. He didn't want to know how much Nazeela had read, because she'd only go telling Fish about it and drawing stupid conclusions.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid._

_Fucking stupid._

Missy watched him carefully, but made no move to give it back. If anything she tightened her grip. He didn't want to ask for it back, but clearly he'd have to.

_And she'll ask me why._

"Can I have that back?"

She pursed her lips but handed it back, and he stuffed it under his pillow. She stared at his pillow before turning back to him. "Are you ready?" He frowned. "For tomorrow."

"I've been ready my whole life."

"Really?" She smiled and shook her hair out of her face, or tried to. "Dunno what we'd do without someone who's choke prepared like you, Pyro."

"Call me John," he said. He zipped up the door to his tent and turned back to her.

"Why?"

"Because tomorrow, Pyro won't have time for you."

Missy flinched. "I know dat's true, at least." He scooted up close to her and eased her down with him on top of his sleeping bag. "Why should I waste time now, John?"

"Because you want this just as much as I do."

She sighed but let him kiss her once. "I don't tink I can win tomorrow."

"We'll win, Missy, don't worry."

"Den what?"

"We'll keep winning."

"It'll stay like dis?"

He studied her face and nodded. "Exactly the same. I promise." She smiled.

"K'den." She bit his earlobe. "Do yo thing, Fireboy."

She didn't have to add what he was thinking.

_I'll make you too hot for anyone else to handle, Missy._

"Do your thing, John."

He did.

---


	13. The Book

I don't own Marvel, but Marvel doesn't own me, and I own everything that doesn't belong to Marvel.

_Note_: This takes place the day after last chapter. Which took place 23 Jul 2007. Ooh and Ah at my amazing math skills.

_Note 2_: As always, constructive criticism is highly encouraged. But there's nothing wrong with shameless groveling at my excellence, either.

_Note 3_: I redid my Nazeela Hena (Shiva) design: http:// alexandraasaint. deviantart. com/ art/ Nazeela-Hena-77058446 (Just remove the spaces.)

_Note 4_: Almost forgot! You can vote for your favorite 'other brother' at my poll. Just go to my homepage thingie; it's at the top! I look forward to seeing what you think!

Read and review! (No pressure.)

_PEER PRESSURE!!! Ooooh!!_

... Don't mind me.

* * *

_**24 Jul 2007**_

"I wonder if we did the right thing."

"We did, Naz."

"I dunno, Mark. Dart..."

"Dart will survive. He wouldn't've if we stayed. He'd'a gotten killed, or cured, or worse."

Nazeela Hena sighed. "I still don't know, Mark." She cupped her cheek with her hand and glanced at Fish. "Could we have just protected him? I'm so scared for everyone else, no one else can keep her sane."

"The Phoenix?"

"Who else?" She sighed again. "Hey Bravo?"

"Mhm?"

"Do you think we did the right thing, leaving?"

Bravo bit her lip and used a four-way stop as an excuse for not answering right away. "I do. I never really bought his ideas, t'be honest. I did it for Dart. I'm doing this for Dart."

"Yeah, we know you'd never do a thing for us," Fish said sarcastically. Anne snorted and glanced at Dart, slumped in the passenger seat. "He's still sleeping, right?"

"He'll be out for hours, Fish, don't worry. We'll be halfway to Chicago by the time he wakes up."

"That reminds me, how we gonna smuggle onto this train?"

Nazeela laughed. "Leave that to me."

---

Psylocke watched the footage for what seemed like the hundredth time.

It seemed like the thousandth time for Quill, but he wasn't really up to arguing about something like news footage. He did manage a light, "It's just a guy with wings, Betsy."

"It's an angel, Quill."

"It's a mutant, Psylocke."

She rolled her eyes. By some strange anomaly, there was internet connection in the underground bunker at the base, and so Psylocke was surfing the net on her laptop. She'd found the footage of this angel-mutant half an hour ago and was doing a fabulous job of obsessing over it.

"You do know it's today."

"Of course." She glanced at Quill. "But this is awesome, you know. It's not just the wings for this guy, he really looks like an angel. It's in his whole face."

"Yeah, and his six-pack," he muttered.

She laughed at him. "Jealous?"

"Hardly. Bored, more likely."

"Aw, does Quillsy-pookums wanna come watch some funky footage wiv Betsy-poo?"

"Keep that up and I'll start calling you Betsy-poo."

"No you won't."

Quill sighed. "Dude, Betsy, can't you do this later?"

"No, Quill."

"Last thing you wanna see is a real live angel, huh." He stood up and stretched. "I'll be up top."

"Keep Callisto away from Pyro," she called. "I don't want to see any blood until tonight."

"Yessir." Quill clambered up the metal steps and almost ran over Phoenix. "Woah! Sorry." He sidestepped her and was three steps away when she called back to him.

"Callisto's already with Pyro. You could keep the other girl away from them."

"Uh, sure." He glanced back but she was already down the stairs.

_«She's here.»_

A series of images flashed through Quill's mind and he jumped and swore "I'm going, Jesus!" Betsy's laugh filtered through his mind, a stark contrast from Jean Grey's subdued tone. "Shut up, Betsy."

_«Absolutely not, Quillsy-pookums.»_

He sighed. Again. And he jogged off, following Jean Grey's careful directions until he was only a few yards away from the catty girl.

"Go away," she said. She was sitting cross-legged on the ground, head bent low and arms circling around with her legs.

"Why would I listen to you?" Quill crossed his arms and peeked over her shoulder; she was reading something, a notebook. Something handwritten, but that was all he could make out before she slammed the book in his face.

"Go away," she repeated. He blinked the flash from her surprisingly powerful book-slap out of his eyes. "Or I'll rip your throat out."

"Sorry, no blood until tonight."

"Says who?"

"Psylocke."

"Purple-haired?"

"Yeah. She's Japanese, too."

"How do you know I'm not Vietnamese?"

"You look Japanese."

She finally looked at him and her eyes widened a bit. "You're Asian." He nodded. "Didn't realize that."

"Now you know," he almost sang out. "I'm Chinese, though."

"Great, a Communist."

"Hey!"

She snickered and stood up, brushing dirt off her pants. "You got a long way to go to redeem yo'self, Porky."

"It's Quill."

"Who said it wasn't?"

"Look," he started. He followed her up an incline and paused when she did. Callisto was talking to Pyro by his tent; he was sitting on a crate with his arms crossed, looking bored. "No blood, please."

"There won't be any blood." She shrugged. "Unless she starts it."

"Yeah, so there will be. Just keep it to bruises."

"If she does." She moved off, but he grabbed her arm.

"She's faster than you."

"Do I look like I care?"

"You're pretty, don't waste your face because of her."

She laughed. "Yo have a weird way o complimenting people."

"You're welcome."

He let go of her and watched as she skipped down another incline. Pyro turned and grinned when he saw her; Callisto looked up at Quill and frowned until Quill grinned back at her, made a little gun with his fingers, and pointed it at the Asian chick.

"Bang bang," he said. Callisto zoomed away, going past Quill and rumpling his hair. He turned to follow her. "You're dead."

---

Missy smiled as Pyro pulled her down on his lap.

"Book. Now."

"Thought you wouldn't have time fo me."

"Give me my book, Missy."

"Why you write dat?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he tightened his arm around her waist and started pawing her, searching for the book. She wriggled out of his grip and jumped off of him, the book suddenly in her hands.

"'Turning da corner, a wild-eyed girl ran into him. She pushed him aside and leapt straight over the railing to the floor below, and he ran after her.' Why you running after me, huh?"

He lunged for her, but she was faster than he was and easily dodged.

"Why don't you know why you kissed me, Pyro?" She danced away from him again, but he flicked on his fire. "I'm not giving it back until you tell me."

Pyro hefted a fireball over his head without lifting a finger. "I'll burn you."

"Yo burn da book, too."

He smiled. "It doesn't work that way, sheila." The fire streaked towards her, and she dove out of the way, somersaulting to a tree and scrambling up. The fire wheeled up after her and she glanced at Pyro, walking casually towards the bottom of the tree, before jumping for him, feet first.

She reveled in the wide-eyed look on his face before her feet connected with his chest and he flew back. Missy scrambled over him, glancing over her shoulder for the fire. It wasn't there. She still gripped the book as she turned to face off against him again.

"Is dat da max yo got?" she taunted. "Is dat it?"

He stood up, and she didn't bother turning around even though she heard and felt the fire hovering behind her. She clutched the book to her chest with both arms and rooted herself to the ground despite the overwhelming heat.

"Why don't you know? How you figga it?"

"Give it back before I have to hurt you." She shook her head and he brought the fire around her in a ring. Dozens of licks of fire tapped her, scorching holes and black burns on her clothes. Nothing touched or burned her skin, but the heat was making it too dry, impossibly dry, impossible to breathe.

_«Pyro! Stop!»_

He ignored Psylocke's mental cry and reached through the ring of fire with both hands, tried to pry her arms apart. Without the room to balance, she teetered dangerously closer to the flames.

"Why, Pyro, just tell me why."

_«John, I can't believe you could even think of doing this.»_

Psylocke he could ignore. The Phoenix, not so much.

Against his will, the fire suppressed itself. The little notebook flew out of Missy's grip to her silent protests. It burst into pieces before disappearing altogether.

Pyro looked around for the two psychics but they were nowhere to be found. He glanced at Missy, who was looking with vague displeasure at her ruined shirt and pants. "That's all I had," she said. "Whatever." She turned away, not even glancing at him.

"Why are you here, anyway?"

She paused.

"Dart said you kept saying there's good humans out there— why're you here?"

Missy turned back to him, a pained look on her face. "I donno if you'd understand."

"Try me."

"It's like dis." She took a step towards him. "Dere's these kids, all caught up in yo ideals and shit."

"Dart."

"Dart," she echoed. "And he could've died at Alcatraz, let's not mince words."

"_Could've_?"

"Dart's not fighting tonight. But you, Magneto— you'd just let him waltz right on in, to his death?"

Pyro snorted. "You're so self-righteous! You can't even keep it in your pants—"

"You weren't complaining at the time, if I recall." Her voice was icier than he'd ever heard. She crossed her arms. "And just because dere's nice people out there don't mean dey're going to help us. Doing da right thing and doing da easy thing—"

"Who said you needed to do the right thing, then, huh?"

"I'm doing da easy thing, Pyro." She held her head a fraction of an inch higher as he stalked towards her. "Da right thing— the hard thing? If I really wanted to do the right thing, I'd be with de X-men. Not de Brotherhood."

He laughed in her face. "They wouldn't get anything done. Shit, they wouldn't want you anyway. You're not useful—"

"You tink I don't know dat?!" She was screaming, she was crying, she was lost. "You tink—"

"I don't know why," he interrupted. She swallowed, suddenly quiet. "I don't know why, but you— you..." He ran his fingers through his hair and fixed his gaze somewhere behind her shoulder. "I knew you could feel something, Missy. You wouldn't've stabbed someone in the side for doing what you did. You cared about Dart." He looked at her face, a little shocked to find her smiling. Very slightly, but still smiling.

"Why couldn't you just sat dat before?"

"Because I'm a guy, Cat." She made a funny noise from the back of her throat and tipped her head.

"I thought you weren't gonna have any time fo me, Pyro."

He blinked.

_Right. It's today._

"I'm sorry. For everything," he said. He reached out and cupped her neck in his hand, and she stepped into him and placed a feathery-light kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"I'll see you on da otha side, Fireboy."

"Yeah."


	14. One of Us

Vote today for your favorite 'other brother'! Just go to my author page. I'm eager to know what you guys think!

Anyway. X-men is property of Marvel Comics. As I said last chapter, I don't own Marvel, but Marvel doesn't own me, either, and I own everything that Marvel doesn't. The last category includes all the other brothers— Cat, Nazeela Hena, Ian and Evaline Rey, Dart, Bravo, etc.

_Note_: This takes place the same day as last chapter, 24 Jul 2007. And as always, Ian's using military time.

_Note 2_: As always, constructive criticism is highly encouraged. But there's nothing wrong with shameless groveling at my excellence, either.

Read and review! (No pressure, of course.)

PEER PRESSURE.

* * *

_19:37_

We're almost ready. Magneto's just getting some final things fixed up, talking with Phoenix and Pyro and Callisto and people.

I think some of us just want it to be over. I'd love to just wake up tomorrow and it's done, and the Cure's gone, and people finally realize we're better than they are.

I don't know.

Some people ditched. I hope to God they haven't gone to the government or whatever, but I think the Phoenix would've done what she did to Morfeo to them if they were going to.

What kills me is that it was Dart who ditched. I mean, the kid was so pumped for this, he was ten times as enthusiastic as Cat-Missy. And I don't get why he left. I'm thinking it wasn't his idea— Nazeela Hena and her boytoy are gone too. So's Bravo, the cook.

I'd bet good money those three thought they were doing him good and took him away. I bet Cat-Missy helped them, but I'm not gonna go ask.

I'm kinda scared for her, to be honest. She's pretty much all alone, no one's gonna back her up. Unless Pyro does, which he won't. Right now he's Magneto's general, not Cat-Missy's boyfriend. Hell, he never was her boyfriend.

Fuck buddy sounds a little more appropriate to me. Though that sounds cruel, somehow. I think there's something more to it than that, but shoot me if I know what.

Fucking high school English— it's kinda like Huck Finn and the black dude, Tom or Jim or whatever. Controllable— only for Pyro and Cat-Missy, it's uncontrollable.Independent beings.

And not black father figures.

Fuck high school, why am I even talking about it? Fucking Huck Finn, fucking Tom Sawyer, fucking Asian girls.

Fucking fire.

I just want this to be over.

_19:49_

—_Ian Rey._

---

"He's waking up."

"Quick, hold him down or something, he's gonna go crazy."

Dart heard the voices before he understood what they were saying. He blinked his eyes without opening them and uncurled his fingers.

"No, idiot, that'll freak him out."

"Let me handle it."

He finally opened his eyes and stared at a wooden wall. "Bravo?"

"Hey, Dart." He turned his head. Bravo's face hovered over his, and he smiled even though his face was aching from pressing against... the floor, he supposed. "How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" He tried to sit up but he felt sluggish; he blinked in and out of focus. "Bravo, what's going on? Where are we?"

"On a train," she said. She gently pushed him back. "Everything's okay."

"What's going on, Bravo?" He glanced behind her and saw Fish and Nazeela Hena hovering. "What happened?"

"We left, Dart," Nazeela Hena said. Her face floated closer, and Dart blinked a few times and her body appeared. She shifted as he glanced at her to make sure she was all there. "It wasn't safe to stay."

"What?!" He sat up, ignoring the headache, ignoring the fact that he couldn't see straight. "Take me back, now." Nazeela shook her head. "Bring me back!" He tried to stand but Bravo grabbed his shoulders and held him down. She hardly needed to, since Dart could hardly keep himself up.

"I can't let you go back there, Dart. It's not safe."

"They're going to end it, they're going to Alca—"

He slumped suddenly, and toppled forward, his forehead on Bravo's shoulder. She clutched his shoulder and pushed him back. "Dart? Dart!" His head lolled about on his shoulders, eyes unblinking and rolled back in his head, and Bravo sighed when she saw a dart pricking his pale cheek. She plucked it out and turned to Nazeela. "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know who's listening, Bravo. I'd rather not risk it." Nazeela chewed her lip and backed away from Bravo and Dart to lean against Fish on the other side of the compartment. "It's not easy for me, doing this."

"Yeah, I know."

Fish wrapped an arm around Nazeela's waist and cleared his throat. "I think we all should maybe wait until we get to Chicago." He smiled thinly at Bravo and raised his eyebrows. "Then we can decide what to dofrom there."

Bravo nodded and gently set Dart back, gently rolling his eyelids down over his eyes.

"I hope it was the right thing to do."

Nobody bothered answering her.

---

Pyro stayed close to the Phoenix on the bridge. They both flanked Magneto, whose hands were up, pushing aside any cars in their way. Callisto was close enough to him that he knew she was there, but other than that, he was looking forward.

_Nothing back there worth looking at right now_.

He hid a snort and kept his eyes forward.

Some people had ditched. He hadn't realized how much the little kid, Dart, meant to the whole group— his eagerness for victory, even for the death of their enemies, fueled everyone.

Now it was up to Pyro to fuel people, which wasn't something he had a real problem doing. He was passionate enough for half a dozen, or at least he could be. He remembered all too well lectures about his uncanny talent for not caring about certain topics.

School, for instance.

He didn't suffer indifference about the war, though. What the human— no, what the Homo sapiens were doing was terrible. Unthinkable. Unforgivable.

Pyro didn't have the heart to even think of forgiving them for destroying the very heart of one of the people he cared about. So he turned his anger into motivation.

But Dart's disappearance, along with that Indian girl and her boyfriend being gone, was not promising. He had to tell himself not to turn around to see who else had left once they were ready, once the lip of the broken Golden Gate Bridge was resting on Alcatraz Island.

_«Just keep looking forward, John.»_

He glanced at the Phoenix, who sent him a tiny grin.

"Right."

Callisto piped up that six new mutants were on the scene. "One of them's wicked pow'ful, almost a class five. With ice."

"Ice?"

"An' wat'r."

Pyro smirked. "Finally. Bobby joined the big boys."

---

Someone, Cat didn't know who, had given her some new clothes.

Tight black cotton pants and a tight black tank top. With black boots.

She felt like goth incarnate, but didn't say anything to anyone except Ian Rey, who had kindly helped her buckle the complicated boots.

"Better'n feelin' outta place in white," he'd said; he was wearing a light wife beater and she'd snorted.

The boots were heavy, but once she had climbed up a tree in them, she felt better. Ian Rey laughed until she jumped at him, boots first.

He didn't laugh after that, either at her or the boots.

He swore and called her a bitch, but she pointed out that she could've really landed on him.

Cat smiled at the memory and bounced on the balls of her feet. When someone shouted, "Let's move it out," she laughed and surged forward with the rest of them. Someone grabbed her hand and she turned her head to see Ian Rey already next to her, moving ahead with his customary springy run.

"C'mon, Cat," he laughed, glancing back at her faster than his pale hair could keep up with. He elbowed between two of the others and dragged Cat behind him. A few seconds later, he skidded to a stop but she kept going, pulling her hand out of his. "It ends!"

She didn't hesitate at the lip of the bridge. She jumped— leaped, really— and she flew farther than usual— the Phoenix's telekinesis, maybe? She didn't dwell on it as she landed lightly and somersaulted to keep her momentum. She flew out across the... parking lot? Whatever it was, it wasn't relevant except for the tiny bits of gravel embedded in the pad of her hand.

Still breathing lightly, Cat flattened herself against a tower's legs, facing the bridge. She looked up, though, grinning when she saw the sticky man sneaking up from the bottom. She looked down, across from her, and dropped to the ground. A thin needle shot through the air where her head had been, and she almost winced when she heard an angry yell from behind.

Instead of feeling bad, she pushed out of her crouch straight for the soldier who'd almost cured her. He was conveniently looking up, aiming for the sticky man.

Cat slammed into him just as he fired, and he lost his footing. She heard the sticky man scream as he fell, and she growled and pummeled the soldier in the chest and face. He easily pushed her off even though she managed to land one well-placed punch on his jaw, drawing blood that he spat at her.

She dove out of the way, knowing a bullet was coming after the spit and blood. Before he could shoot, a burst of fire took him down. She leapt to her feet and spun around.

The fire-belcher grinned at her and she managed something resembling a smile back before dashing away again. She scrambled over the knocked-out and shuddering bodies of her comrades— or ex-comrades until she found a safe enough hiding place behind a huge Asian man. She danced around behind him, shifting her weight when he did, keeping him between her and the soldiers.

And the X-men, whom she'd forgotten about until Phat froze.

Literally.

Cat backed away as quickly as she could when she heard heavy steps from his other side, and a metallic fist punched through Phat's frozen body. Phat shattered and Cat threw up her arms to shield her face.

One giant shard flew her way; it hit her in the hip and knocked her back half a dozen feet. The shard landed inches away from her head, and Cat couldn't tear her eyes away from it.

Half of Phat's face was there, in the frozen shard, staring back at her. The nose was torn and the ripped skin frayed at the edges; the single brown eye was wide open in shock. The eyelashes, thin and straight, peeled back from the eye, and Cat swallowed when the metallic man straddled her, looking down with his lifeless eyes for the briefest second before moving on.

Once he was gone, Cat sat up and glanced around. She saw the rest of Phat littered around and jumped up before she met the same fate. She had little enough experience with ice, and the last thing she wanted was to be a shattered icicle.

So she ran back for the bridge.

Passing the tower she'd hid behind earlier, she paused on instinct. Someone flung around the corner of the supporting beam and caught her around the middle with one arm. Cat flew backwards.

She landed with a grunt on her shoulder blades, skidding for a foot or two before stopping. The shirt was ripped; she felt the concrete on her back. She tried to breathe despite the nozzle pressed against her stomach.

It was the same guard from before, but this time his face was shiny and red in some places, and black and peeling in others. Her mouth opened slightly in shock to see he still had that American soldier determination on his sooty face.

"You people made a mistake," he said, and pulled the trigger. He stood up and looked down as she shook uncontrollably. She tried to kick him but couldn't control the convulsing wracking her body. She clenched her teeth, her fists, tried to get a grip on her muscles.

But she couldn't.

She moaned, unable to control her violent shudders. The soldier stepped on her hand, hard— "Something to remind you not to mess with America." Cat swooned from the pain.

_It's all fucking over._

When the shudders stopped and the black cleared from her vision, she pulled her hand in and stared at the crushed and twisted fingers.

_Gon fonit._

She gasped when a shoe toed her side and just about stepped on her, quickly rolling away until someone grabbed her shoulder. She glared at Ian Rey, holding her hand to her chest, trying to keep him from seeing. Dumb, considering all he could do was see. His eyebrows shot up under his floppy bangs.

"Cat, get outta here," he said. He tried to pull her up, but she wrenched her wrists free, bumping her broken fingers against his arm. She hissed. "Who did this to you?" She shook her head, but he grabbed her shoulders. "Who?"

She clenched her jaw. "A moke."

"Cat—"

"Just leemme alone and get the fuck away." She kicked his knee and he stood up. "Go, lolo!"

Ian Rey left her there and ran towards a pair of soldiers, both with guns. She had no idea what he could possibly do, so she looked away before the inevitable just in time to see cars flying up in the air.

Cat gave a strangled scream when she suddenly was pulled along by her feet, as if by some invisible string, towards the bridge. She tried to kick out of the hold before realizing it was a psychic, not some invisible person dragging her. She looked up towards the Phoenix, who watched her with a cool indifference from her isolated sentry. She looked miles away.

A car flew by overhead, and the Phoenix flipped Cat over on the gravel. Her mangled hand pressed painfully between her stomach and the pavement long enough for her to swoon again.

Face-down on the pavement in front of the bridge, she blacked out.

---

Ian Rey honestly had no clue what he could do, either, except try.

He tried.

He failed.

As he fell, convulsing, he realized it was dark out.

---

Avalanche stood on the pile of rubble where the bridge had landed on Alcatraz Island. He reached out, clenching his fingers, and the island trembled.

_Sygkentrono afto. Focus on it._

He focused, and part of the building started shaking as the ground beneath it began to tremor furiously. A row of soldiers huddled inside a door fell to their knees from the seismic activity and then sprang away as the doorway collapsed, along with a chunk of Worthington Labs.

"Good, brother!" Magneto called.

A cure bullet flew at him but a piece of metal deflected it.

_Eycharisto, kyrios. Thank you, sir_.

He turned, clenching his teeth against the strain of keeping the island shaking. The pile of rubble shifted under his feet, and he reset his footing.

And fell.

He slipped in the shifting concrete, but something kept him up. He swiveled in midair to see the Phoenix staring at him with her cold black eyes.

_Eycharisto._

_«Destroy it.»_

He turned back to the labs and reached out with both arms this time, pulling with his thoughts and wishes and his very being for the ground to tremble until everything that could fall did.

A tiny tremor passed through the island before he dropped like a stone and lost focus. He landed hard on his ankle at the wrong angle and scrambled to keep on top of the rubble.

"Tezaro!" he screamed at the soldiers. "_Die_!"

He reached out again, even though he knew the rubble would fall again, knew he wasn't stable, but not fast enough. The pile opened up and he fell halfway in. Ice formed over him and the pile, and he roared. But no amount of screaming let him free.

The ice held him still when he tried to shudder from the prick on his cheek.

---

Evaline Rey opened her mouth and made a noise no living creature (except possibly the humpbacked whale and bat) could hear. It knocked over three approaching humans, though. As they tumbled, she took off into the air, making for the bridge.

There was a cure needle stuck in her pants, and she pulled it free. Pausing, she aimed it at one of the girls in leather.

She threw with all her power, praying it would hit.

It hit.

It went straight through the little bitch of a preteen girl, and Evaline growled but turned and swooped away— and not a moment too soon. A bolt of white-hot lightning scorched her shoe and burnt her toes, but she didn't turn back.

Lightning was beyond her, she knew, and her common sense applauded her until she saw Ian shuddering on the ground.

Evaline froze in midair, completely ignoring everything going on around her. Hell, the world could've been ending and she wouldn't've noticed.

Nothing mattered anymore, if Ian wasn't one of them.

_One of us._

She snapped to attention when one of the X-men pointed at him and a silver path of frost crawled over him. She cried out in her silent voice and the X-man tumbled away long enough for her to pry Ian out of a thin ice casing. She slung his arm around her and took off, slower than before but fast enough to evade the ice mutant.

He struggled until he realized who it was, and he sighed, relieved.

"She's hurt, sis," he whispered.

"What? Ian, we're jus' gettin' outta here."

"Git Cat-Missy, she's wounded," he hissed. Ian tried to wriggle out of her grasp but she held firm.

"Ah ain't piddling for her, Ian, y're mah brother!"

"She's hurt, y' idiot, go help her!"

Ten feet off the ground, he finally escaped her hold. He fell but got up and ran for the bridge, shouting for Evaline when he almost ran over a curiously moved and unconscious Cat.

She swore but grounded herself, running backwards to halt her forward momentum. She backtracked and hoisted Cat up, grabbing her under the arms, and jumped up. She flew Cat down the bridge, past a shocked Magneto and a grim Phoenix. Pyro spun completely, and she kept his gaze four seconds too long.

She flew straight into someone else.

_An angel!_

The angel tried to pull up short to fly around her but she still hit one of his beautiful wings. Shocked, she stared, losing her concentration and she started to fall. She stared at the angel even after he flew on and pushed Cat away from her as she plummeted into the water. To her relief, Cat stop falling when just her toes skimmed the surface of the water. Before the water closed over her, Evaline sent up a prayer, and hoped the angel got her death wish.

---

"Evaline!"

Ian stood stunned for a moment before racing up a pile of unstable rubble. He circumvented the half-frozen Avalanche and at the top of the pile, jumped up to catch the lip of the bridge. He pulled himself up but almost went right back down from a solid punch to the jaw.

His head snapped back and he waved his arms to keep on the bridge.

"You fucking bastard!"

Ian's eyes widened, and he quickly used his momentum to roll to the side, avoiding another punch. He spat out blood and half of a molar, fully expecting a third punch.

The punch didn't come, but fire did. Ian danced around the red-hot fire before racing at breakneck speed for where his sister hadplummeted down. He heard Pyro close behind him, but Ian was lighter, faster, and he had a drowning sister.

"She fell, y' moth'fucker!"

Pyro skidded to a stop as Ian leaped over the railing into the bay.

_Let him think she fell._

He knew he thought Cat had fallen, not Evaline. As if he'd go this crazy over Cat.

Ian pressed his feet together before he shot into the water, feet first. He kept his eyes open, looking for his sister's dirty blond hair, even though nothing was clear anymore.

He spent a minute under the water before shooting up to breathe. His eyes stung and he could barely see, but he couldn't close his eyes. Wouldn't close his eyes. He gasped in a burst of air before going back down into the dark blur of the San Francisco Bay. He spun around in the water but could only see the murky green. No yellow. No hair.

So he went back up, defeated, with sluggish movements and fury budding in his veins. If Pyro hadn't held him up—

"Ian! Ian!"

He broke the surface and looked above him to see his sister reaching for him. He grabbed her outstretched hand and she hauled him up, bridal style. He would've made a joke about it if he wasn't hacking seawater out of his system. Instead, he hugged her neck while she laboriously held them both up, all the way across the bay.

"Ah thought y' were dead," he started.

"Don't, Ian."

He stopped talking until she tossed him into the shallow water on a beach. He was wet, shivering, and cured when he crawled onto the sand.

But he had his sister.

"God, Evaline," he said, "what would Ah do without y'?"

"Ah dunno. Die." He laughed at her until she slapped him. "Ah brought Cat further down the bridge. Ah saw 'im burnin' cars, Pahro was furious, Ian—"

"He thinks she fell." Ian shrugged. "It'll humble 'im, maybe."

"Maybe." Evaline hugged her brother. "Ah'm so sorry, Ian."

"About what?"

She pointed to his eyes, and he realized he was squinting to see where Evaline's hair ended and the sand began. He shook his head.

"Ah think Ah need glasses."


	15. The Day After Part I

Vote today for your favorite other brother! Poll on my FF homepage.

_Note_: This takes place the day after the previous chapter, the day after Alcatraz.

_Note 2_: This is the second to last chapter of _The Other Brothers_. There will be a sequel, so keep your eyes peeled.

_Note 3_: I love MIKA!

Read and review!

* * *

_**25 Jul 2007**_

_Bjzrip._

"Hey, Mahtinez, git ova heyah."

David Martinez held his radio close to his mouth. "Ya find someone?"

"Yeah, a kid."

"Comin'."

Martinez glanced in the windows of the cars he passed, checking for anyone that Sullivan missed. But fortunately for Martinez, Sullivan was as good as sniffing out trouble and injury as a police dog— which was kind of their job, if Martinez was going to be honest about it.

"What'siz condition?"

"She's got a crushed hand."

"She one of them?"

"Dunno. Don't think so. Look." Sullivan picked up a charm on a gold chain the girl was wearing. "Do Brotherhood bitches wear Buddhas?"

Martinez laughed. "I dunno either. But I doubt it. Either way, let's get someone to fix her hand. In't that some policy?"

"Yeah, a coahse."

Sullivan moved on, and Martinez buzzed in for help. He paused and looked at the girl— she was Asian, Vietnamese or Korean, maybe. Obviously Buddhist, so maybe Japanese. Or Nepalese, whatever. Some kind of Asian.

He moved on.

* * *

Bravo wasn't there when Dart finally woke up. He blinked his way awake, surprised to see a white ceiling and not, say, the roof of a cave.

He felt remarkably well rested, and for some reason didn't have the heart to be angry at Nazeela Hena and Fish and Bravo. He realized why once he finally focused on the television.

"... devastation. Alcatraz Island Laboratories are almost completely decimated. Dr. Kavita Rao, one of the creators of the Cure, was found dead inside the ruined building. We have word that Warren Worthington of Worthington Pharmaceuticals is alive thanks to his son, a mutant working in conjunction with the X-men. Once again, this is La—"

Someone pressed the mute button. Dart's mouth was hanging open, and he stared at the screen even though he couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Dart?"

He tore his eyes away from the TV and looked at Nazeela Hena. "I—"

"I'm sorry we took you away, Dart," she said. She sat next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "But you aren't a killer, and neither are we."

He swallowed and glanced away from her. He saw Fish watching him closely and looked back at Nazeela's muddy brown eyes. "What about Cat? Is she a killer?"

"She had a choice, Dart." Nazeela scrunched a little to look at him straight on. "She didn't choose you."

"Is she okay? Are the twins okay?" He shrugged out of her half-hug and set his jaw.

She looked away. "We don't know, Dart."

"Where's Bravo?"

"She's getting us some food. And I think she's calling some people in Seattle."

"Probably Wayne," Dart muttered.

"Who?"

Dart looked up at Fish. "Her boyfriend, kind of. He's a mutant, a Morlock." At Fish's raised eyebrows, he added, "He can go invisible. He's cool."

"You know him?"

"Obviously he does, Mark." Nazeela stood up. "I need to find out what happened to Jean. The Phoenix," she clarified.

Dart blanched. "You don't think—"

"She knew that healer was going to be there, and she wanted to die. It just so happens she was all that was left after Magneto got cured—"

Dart swallowed when she cut herself off. "Magneto's... cured? How?"

"The X-men." Nazeela shook out her hair and crossed over to Fish. "Come with?" she asked him. He nodded. She turned back to Dart. "Stay here, okay?"

She didn't wait for an answer before leaving him alone, watching the muted news.

* * *

"Evaline, Ah really can't see a damn thang."

"Look, an eyeglasses place."

"Evaline. What did Ah just say?"

She sighed and took her brother's hand. "Ah'm nevah gonna get used ta this. Ah mean, y'always had had perfet vision, an' now this. Ah dunno anythang about glasses, Ian."

"We'll just have ta learn, E."

* * *

"Wat? Aznuts! No way das true."

"But it is, Amy." The nurse smiled at her. "Congratulations."

Missy shook her head and clenched her teeth to keep her chin from shaking. "Fuck," she whispered. "Dis no good!"

"You're actually good to go," the nurse said. "If you'll just—"

Missy didn't want to hear it. She jumped up and stormed past the stammering nurse, past the desks, down the stairs, out the door. She was outside, it was hot, she was stifling.

She was pregnant.

"Fuck," she said again.

* * *

"Look, he's unconscious, and I couldn't leave him there, Logan. I know you just want to gut him, but he'll come around. I promise he will."

"Look kid, I couldn't care less about what happens to 'im. But what about the other kids, huh? They gonna be safe with him around?"

Bobby Drake crossed his arms. "John might have killed people, Logan. But he wouldn't hurt the students."

"What about Jimmy, huh?"

"The war's over." Bobby sighed. "I'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone, okay?"

"The fact is, Logan, that Mr. Allerdyce may not ever have enough wits about him to hurt anyone except himself." Dr. McCoy peered at Bobby over his Pince-nez glasses. "There's nothing more I can do for him."

"He's not going to wake up?"

"He may, in time." McCoy smiled at Logan. "No need to worry, the school is safe from him."

Logan growled in response and left.

Dr. McCoy turned his sardonic smile to Bobby. "Now, young man, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Could I just... spend some time..."

"Of course. I'll be in Ororo's— Ms. Munroe's— office." He followed Logan's cigar smell out, leaving Bobby alone in the Medbay with John's body.

"I'm sorry, John," Bobby said. He sat down in a cold metal chair next to John's bed. "I never wanted to fight you." He ran a hand through his short hair and closed his eyes.

_Is he ever gonna talk back again?_

Bobby rested his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his palms as the backs of his eyes started itching. He blinked, and sighed when he felt a tear running down his cheek.

"Dammit, John, just wake up," he whispered. His back shook and, somewhere inside his chest, he ached, from what, he didn't know. He did know with a certainty that John was never going to wake up— at least not in this world.

_I killed my best friend._

And something inside Bobby snapped, and he wanted more than anything for someone to come in and tell him to keep it inside. He hated crying, he hated needing things he'd never have. He hadn't cried since before Wolverine and Rogue had arrived, and that was almost two years ago.

When, after a few minutes, the door opened, he tried to control himself.

"Oh, _Bobby_."

It was Eva Andrews, a usually annoying 13-year old Scottish student, but the compassion in her voice when their eyes met gave him hope that she'd know what to do.

Eva didn't know what to do, exactly, so she knelt by Bobby's cold chair and wrapped her skinny arms around his neck. "It's ookay t' cry," she whispered. "Jus' let i' out."

He let it out and cried into her shoulder. She sat, slightly uncomfortable on the cold floor but unwilling to move. There were medicines she needed to take, but at the moment, Bobby was more important.

* * *

Ian leaned forwards and squinted at himself in a mirror.

"Ah look like a dork, Evaline."

She snickered. "Ya look fahne. Bettah, now Ah cain't see as much of you."

Ian rolled his eyes and glanced at his sister. She looked calmer than he'd seen her in a while, and it was calming for him, too. They hadn't done anything remotely close to normal for, what, four, five months? Probably longer, actually. Even though they'd joined the Brotherhood in March, they'd had a crappy time before that.

_Maybeh Ah wouldna bin so easy ta convince if we'd bin livin' okay._

He realized that he'd lost his journal somewhere along the way, but he shrugged it off as Evaline paid for his glasses. He could see better now, but shades of light still bothered him. Last night, when he realized it was dark out— that was the end of the world for him.

"Hey."

Evaline put her hand on his shoulder, and he turned to her. Her face was gentle, and she kissed his forehead.

"It's okay, Ian."

He shook his head, though he smiled slightly. She steered him outside, and he blinked against the unfamiliar sensation of feeling the sun burning his eyes. "Evaline, I'm one of them, and I wanted them all to die. I don't—" Ian stopped. He was going to start a rant, and he didn't want to talk any more than he had to. "I hate myself," he finally said.

"Oh, _Ian_."

* * *

Missy leaned forwards on the park bench and inspected the splint on her hand. She longed for another dose of painkillers, but she didn't want to go back inside the hospital. If she had money, she'd go to a drug store.

But she'd never had much money in the first place, and anything worth money was hidden an hour's walk away outside of the city.

It wasn't worth it.

She ground her teeth together and clenched her uninjured fist. She honestly wished she could punch herself into unconsciousness. Between the pain from her hand and the imagined pain in her stomach and the sudden weight of her limbs, Missy honestly wanted to cut out the last two months of her life.

Dart and Pyro and Ian Rey and all.

She'd give it all up to be anywhere else.

Missy pressed her forehead into both hands and held back a hiss when her hand started throbbing more insistently.

"Oh, _God_."


	16. The Day After Part II

Okay, I lied, this isn't the last chapter. There will be an epilogue of sorts to set the stage for the sequel, which is just as full of drama as this is and currently has no title, except possibly _Lost Boys_.

So yeah! This is the day after Alcatraz Island, which here is the June 25, 2007. I hope you enjoy; bonus points if you take the poll on my profile about your favorite Other Brother and post your answer in your review! Or just review... that works too. :-)

Read, enjoy, review! 2

.

* * *

.

Anne Schönberg shook her head.

"Dart, where on earth are you going to look? She could be dead, for all you know."

"I'd know if she was dead." Dart sighed. "Bravo, I know she's out there somewhere. I need to find her. She's like my sister. She's my best friend. She'd look for me."

Bravo's laugh was hollow. "She wouldn't, Dart. She didn't want you to look for her. She knew they were gonna lose." She squeezed her eyes shut. Dart put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about me, Annie. I can take care of myself."

"I know that." Bravo opened her eyes, and Dart swallowed back his own tears, blinking. "Bravo, I don't know what else to do. I can't just stay here. I need to find her."

"I know. I just don't want you to."

Bravo stood up and clenched her arms around Dart in a hug that knocked the breath out of him. He stood still for a minute, then he wrapped his arms around her.

After a minute, she let him go. "I'll see you later, Dart."

She turned away, and after a moment of heavy silence, Dart left.

.

* * *

.

Ian sat on a park bench while Evaline bought them coffees at Dunkin' Donuts. He didn't want to interact with the humans any more than he had to, especially when the servers at DD didn't speak English.

_It's America, people. We speak _English_ here._

His eyes tried, as usual, to pick up every detail, but he couldn't see as far anymore. Reading the street signs that weren't close was impossible, and he couldn't see inside dark windows or doorways. None of that used to stop him.

Now, he was stuck inside a box, outside of which everything was blurred. He couldn't see Evaline inside Dunkin' Donuts, nor could he make out the number of buckles on an emo Asian chick's black boots.

The Asian girl turned around towards him, though she was looking at the ground.

_Wait._

_No way._

_Cat-Missy?_

Ian leapt up from his seat and moved swiftly towards the girl. He didn't bother excusing himself when he pushed between two joggers with iPods. He was almost able to touch her when she looked up.

Horror flooded her face.

"Cat?"

.

* * *

.

Bobby eventually stopped crying.

Eva Andrews felt awkward kneeling next to his chair, so she scrambled up. There was a box of tissues next to the sink, so she ran to grab them. Bobby gave her a shy, exhausted smile when she held them out to him.

"Thanks, Eva."

She bobbed her head and looked around before remembering. "Do ya ken where Doctor McCoy is, Bobby?"

"Oh, yeah. He's in Storm's office."

"Thank ya."

Eva backed out of the Medbay, hoping she wasn't too late to get her medication. Sometimes, it sucked not knowing who was sick, especially when you touched them by mistake.

HIV was not fun.

.

* * *

.

Bravo waited in the hotel room, spread out on one of the queen-size beds on her stomach.

There was a mirror on the wall where she was staring at herself.

She didn't like how she looked. She looked ten years older than she was. She had a thin mouth and a beaky nose. Not to mention creepy yellow eyes.

Yes, she knew that she ought to be proud of her mutation. Yes, she knew being a mutant made her 'better'.

But something tugged at her insides.

Dart had gone out after Cat. Even though he was just a kid, she knew he could handle himself. Yet he was like a brother to her in the same way Cat was a sister to him.

Bravo? She was just a friend. Family came first.

And Cat was pretty, and not too thin or too fat. She looked fierce and sure of herself— dangerous. Bravo had a suspicion that even if she had been cured at Alcatraz, she'd still be that confident, dangerous beauty that had won Dart, Ian Rey, and Pyro over.

Bravo had a feeling her time as a member of the Brotherhood was over in more ways than one.

.

* * *

.

Missy stared at Ian.

There he was, right in front of her. He wore glasses, which meant he'd been cured, too.

_Cured cos o me._

Her stomach tightened as she watched confusion flit across his face as he soaked in her horror at seeing him. All she'd wanted to do was disappear, pretend it had never happened, but here was Ian, desperate to hold her back.

"Cat?"

She tore herself from her thoughts and fixed a cold look on her face. "You have me confused for someone else."

She turned away and started running for the busy street fifty yards away.

But Ian was faster and wasn't wearing heavy boots. He caught up to her in seconds, grabbing her wrist above the split. He pulled her hand out. His nostrils flared.

"Ah know ya, Cat-Missy. Don't play dumb." He grabbed the chain around her neck and pulled it from under her shirt. There was her Buddha. "That's yers. Ah know it is."

"So what, Drac? So what if it's me?"

_Dun make me pity yo._

He ran a hand through his lanky hair. "Ah just wanna help." He looked down. "Ya mattah t'me."

And she finally got that he cared about her, and she knew she could never say no to his offer of help. It was more for him than for her, she realized, and if she didn't let him help, he'd never forgive himself.

"Fine."

.

* * *

.

At nine at night, the Medbay doors slid open again. Beast glanced up.

"Hi, Dr. McCoy."

It was Eva Andrews. She was pale, as usual, and wearing an oversized T-shirt. The bags under her eyes were starting to fade.

"How can I help you, Eva?"

"I think y'should tell Marie tha' Pyro's here."

Dr. McCoy blinked. He was used to Eva telling him everything the other teachers should know, but this was out of his range. He wasn't a real expert on how the social networks were.

"I don't think that I'm qualified to make that decision," he said. He stroked his chin. "Perhaps you should talk to Bobby about it?"

Eva frowned, nodded, then frowned again. "Thanks, Dr. McCoy."

The doors swished shut as she left.

.

* * *

.

Nazeela knocked on the door to the hotel room she and Mark were sharing with Dart and Bravo. "It's me, guys."

After a moment of silence, she reached out, trying to find their powers nearby. Mark hovered at her elbow.

Her eyebrows knit together even as she blinked tears out of her eyes.

"Naz?"

Nazeela turned and collapsed against Mark, not really able to stand against the shock. Mark held her, confused.

She looked at him, her large eyes wet. "They left, Mark."

"It's okay," he said. He didn't hesitate. "We're together, it's okay." Nazeela thought about this for a minute.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is."

Mark pulled the key out of his pocket and slid it in the doorknob. "Everything's gonna be fine."

.

* * *

.

Evaline watched as Cat poked a plastic fork at her McSalad. They'd gone to buy new clothes for themselves, and once they'd gone to rent a cheap hotel room and changed, they all looked like different people.

Evaline was wearing a new pair of gold and silver sandals, jeans, and a black top. Ian had gotten some khaki shorts, a form-fitting navy blue top that complimented his eyes, and his old sneakers, which were still in fairly good condition. He also wore a new pair of biker's gloves, though they didn't cost forty dollars like his last pair had. And his blond waves were pristine on his head again.

They looked like they remembered from before they left Charleston, but they didn't know how Cat would look. Evaline was surprised, Ian halfway dumbstruck.

She had on dark skinny jeans and a babydoll top. The pants hugged every curve, and the baby doll top was like the one she'd come to camp in, only without cleavage. She looked fantastic.

But Evaline saw, when Ian wasn't watching her, that a tiny frown puckered at her eyebrows.

And when he went to the bathroom, Cat looked up at her.

Evaline smiled as gently as she could while Cat stared at her, not smiling, not frowning, not condescending.

And Evaline knew why she'd stayed, and she said, "Thank you."

.

* * *

.

Bobby stood outside of Marie's door, his hands in his pockets, and worried his bottom lip. He rocked on his heels, thinking.

Eva Andrews had found him a few minutes ago. She'd started talking about how they'd been such good friends, and wouldna Marie want to ken if John was back.

She had a point, there was no denying that. He'd been thinking about that ever since Storm had told the group of six (seven, counting Warren, and eight counting Jimmy) that telling people was up to Bobby.

And even though Xavier's was the most gossip-happening school in the country, only a few people who hadn't been at Alcatraz knew: Eva Andrews, her brother Sam, and Artie Maddicks, the mute, lizard-tongued boy who was their best friend.

Bobby didn't know any of them very well, but Eva seemed smart enough to know who she could trust. And she seemed to be on his side— or at least didn't seem to mind that John was there.

But would Marie mind?

He'd betrayed them, sucked in by promises of glory and power when his two best friends saw through them. He'd walked out on them. Betrayed them.

Bobby remembered when Mystique had broken into the school and lied to Marie— or Rogue, at that point. It took almost a month to gain her trust back, when it hadn't even been him deceiving her in the first place.

That month, it had been John who'd helped her stay on her toes. He flirted with her unabashedly, and she became used to it and laughed at him because both of them knew he didn't actually like her like that.

They knew it was Bobby who liked her like that, and it was really impossible for him to decide if it was worth telling her. Especially since he might never wake up.

But after another minute, he knocked on her door.

_She deserves the truth._

.

* * *

.

Evaline and Ian could only afford to get a room with one queen-sized bed. They got a cot, too, and Ian and Evaline had secret conversations about who would sleep where.

Ian felt Cat-Missy watching them, and turned from his seat on the bed to look at her in the doorway to the tiny bathroom. She wore an oversized t-shirt Ian had bought that went halfway down her thighs.

He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and looked away. Evaline caught his gaze and then looked over at Cat-Missy.

"You're stuck with Ian," she said. "I kick in my sleep."

Ian frowned when Cat-Missy's eyes twinkled and didn't flash gold.

"Whatever."


	17. Twentyfive Hundred Miles Away

So this IS the last chapter.

It starts at midnight on July 26, 2007, a day and a half after Alcatraz.

I'm honestly not very happy with this chapter— any feedback is greatly appreciated. I really wanted to just finish this story: I know how I want the sequel to go, at least for the first half, and I want to work on other stuff without this almost-done hanging over my head.

Hopefully, the sequel will come out soon, and will be written better than this, since I started posting this more than a year and five months ago.

Enjoy, read, review, take the survey in my profile. It's a new one.

Thanks to everyone who stuck it out with me through this— it's amazing to have loyal fans even after almost a year and half of very sporadic updates and bad chapters and reworks...

Thanks again to everyone!

.

* * *

.

Midnight, and Dart was on a bus.

He was headed back to San Francisco.

He was pretty sure Cat was still there. Alcatraz had happened yesterday— barely thirty hours ago, really. There was no way she could have left so soon. He felt like she'd wait.

Wait for me.

Dart shifted on the seat and looked out the window at the stars. A plane passed overhead, and he wondered where it was going. Maybe where he was going.

Or maybe it wasn't going anywhere.

Dart felt like he wasn't going anywhere, but then the bus went over a bump on the highway and his hands bounced on his lap.

Friction.

_I'm going somewhere._

He sighed, put his head against the window, and closed his eyes.

_Oh, God, Cat. I'm so fucking lost._

_Where are you?_

.

* * *

.

Bobby eased himself from Rogue's arms. She was asleep, and he was hungry. He paused before leaving and looked back at her. She nestled into the pillow, her brown and white hair soft on her shoulders. Her eyelashes quivered on her cheekbones, and Bobby wanted to kiss her.

But they both had class early.

So he left, closing the door as quietly as he could behind him, and padded down to the kitchen. He was still in his jeans, and his shirt was rumpled, but he didn't care. He pulled out a carton of ice cream and spooned some into a mug.

A few minutes later, when Logan walked in and started looking around for beer, Bobby Drake almost laughed.

Things were starting to get back to normal.

_Deja vu._

.

* * *

.

Nazeela slipped her hand into Mark's as they left the hotel. They were almost ready to go home, but still needed a few more hours together before everything went back to how it had been— not to mention it was still the middle of the night.

They took a taxi to a park near Mark's apartment in Lake Forest, which he shared with two other boys who went to his school— where Nazeela would be, come September. Thinking about it, she fidgeted.

"Thinking about college?"

Nazeela looked at him and pursed her lips. "No."

"Liar." He smiled. "It's gonna be fine, Naz. You just spent two months hanging out with the most dangerous mutants in the world. You're going to blow everyone away." She shook her head, but a smile was growing on her face. "Besides, I'll be there. You don't have to worry."

Mark paused.

"Everything's gonna be okay."

.

* * *

.

Evaline was exhausted, but falling asleep was impossible.

Cat-Missy was still in the room, and it was almost two.

Ian was fast asleep; he had always been a heavy sleeper, and for once she was glad for it. It meant she could talk to Cat-Missy when she ran off.

But Cat-Missy was still there.

A few minutes after two, Evaline sat up on her cot and cleared her throat. "Ah know y'all are awake, Cat." She stood up and saw Cat looking up at her, brown eyes glittering. "Ah hope y'aren't gunna go without sayin' bye."

"Dun be lolo." Cat slid out from next to Ian and stretched her arms up before pulling back on the skinny jeans. She didn't change back into the new top, but she stuffed it into a khaki messenger bag. "No way I'm waking him up, he jus stop me going."

Evaline bit her lip. Waking Ian _would_ be dumb.

"D'ya even know where you're gonna go?"

"Yeah."

"But y'all ain't gonna tell me."

Cat laughed quietly. "Nevah." She turned back to Ian and put her hand on his face for a moment before cutting around the bed, heading for the door. Evaline hesitated before pulling out her credit card.

"Here."

Cat stared at her with an expression reminiscent of pity before opening the door. "Thanks, Evaline, but I dun need you tracing me." She slipped out of the room, and Evaline slid back into the cot.

She almost wanted to fake a letter, a note or something, that she could pretend Cat left for Ian. She didn't want to think about him waking up once the sun was up, especially since she knew for a fact that Cat was gone.

That'd just be a lie.

Cat-Missy did not leave goodbye letters.

.

* * *

.

Eva Andrews stopped outside the kitchen door. The light was on— then she heard Professor Logan's scratchy laugh.

"It's MacNugget."

"Who?"

Eva smiled.

_Bobby._

"The little Scottish girl, the one who hangs out with Artie."

"Eva? She's not that little."

Eva pushed open the kitchen door, smiling. "Ya got tha' righ' f'once, Bobby." He smiled at her. "Mornin', Professor Logan."

"Why you up?"

Eva looked at Logan with raised eyebrows, and Bobby laughed when she rolled her eyes and slid onto the stool next to his. He offered her some mint chip ice cream, and she accepted it with a smile.

She shivered from brain freeze, and likely something else as well.

But she still felt marvelous.

_This is where I belong._

.

* * *

.

Missy was in an internet cafe.

She'd already bought a set of plane tickets to New York City. Now, she was looking for information about the X-men.

She knew they were in New York, based out of a private school, and she was pretty sure it was the prep school in Westchester.

Run by Professor Xavier, recently disappeared. Now run by Ororo Munroe, an African woman with white hair.

African with white hair?

That screamed mutant. It also screamed that this Munroe woman was clearly the woman from the X-men, who wore the cape and brought down lightning. None of the X-men would recognize her; she could stay away from the healer until she could leave.

She'd have to lie, but she knew how to pretend— she'd done it daily with the Brotherhood.

In a moment of stereotypical enlightenment, Missy realized she'd just found her new calling.

.

* * *

.

Twenty-five hundred miles away, John Allerdyce lay in a hospital bed, comatose.

The school nurse, Annie, put a hand on the slow pulse on his neck. John reminded her of her son, Carter, when he was asleep— the little pockets under his eyes looked almost purple, and the veins in his eyelids looked indigo, even in the glaring white light of the medbay.

"You'll wake up," she said to him. She kissed his forehead, and her black hair brushed his nose.

Anne Ghazikhanian pulled away, and in one of her decidedly mushy moments, imagined that the mutant terrorist Pyro crinkled his nose.


End file.
